Changsun Jun couldn't help but lamented that although Fang Jun was in Chang'an, he didn't give a second thought to the influence of the Western Regions. Today's Anxi Governor Li Xiaogong obeys Fang Jun even more, and all policies come from Fang Jun. Instruction.
Fang Jun elevated the status of Han merchants to an unprecedented level, and at the same time allowed more wealth to flow into the Tang Dynasty.
Even though Pei Ju, a former famous official of the Sui Dynasty, was a great success in the Western Regions, he was still slightly inferior to Fang Jun...
It's a pity that such people who are destined to become famous ministers are entangled with the eldest grandson family and want to kill each other, and they will never be able to work together to repair it.
After staying in Suiye City for two days, replenishing fresh water and food, and purchasing a group of camels, the caravan set off again.
Going west from Suiye City, it is beyond the control of the Anxi Army. Although the Silk Road connects the east and the west and becomes a link of wealth, countless people make a living on this road, so there are many forces working hard to maintain the Silk Road, both openly and secretly. The road is smooth and the merchants are safe, but after all, they are under the control of the Hu people. Every Han must be cautious. The slightest carelessness will lead to disaster.
Fortunately, this road is very smooth.
By the time we arrived not far from Damascus, the weather had gradually warmed up. Counting the days, it was already February. This trip started from Chang'an. After more than two months and nearly three months, traveling through mountains and rivers and experiencing hardships, the destination of this trip was finally in sight. .
Damascus is the most important node on the Silk Road, and it is also the most important and prosperous metropolis in the food country at this time. From here to the west is the vast Mediterranean Sea, and along the seaside road to the north is another majestic city. , Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, across the strait from Constantinople, you can reach the flat, fertile land ruled by the Alvars and Franks.
Of course, the vast area to the west of Constantinople is now in an era of extreme ignorance and darkness. The indigenous people there are extremely ignorant and are separated from the bright world by thousands of mountains and rivers. Even if Han merchants can reach those places, they are poor. The indigenous people could not afford expensive Tang products.
Therefore, most of the Han merchants only came to Constantinople, and the entire commercial trade in Europe was controlled by Arab merchants. Even the Byzantine Empire, which was still powerful, had to rely on the trade of Arab merchants to bring wealth.
It was Arab merchants who sold the exquisite oriental goods across thousands of mountains and rivers to the far north and even to the seaside of the west...
…
Standing on the side of the road and looking at the city of Damascus built on flat ground in the distance, Chang Sun Jun felt quite disappointed.
Is this the world-famous Damascus?
Not only small, but also rustic...
In the distance to the west is a winding mountain range. Changsun Jun knew that behind the mountains was the endless sea. The city of Damascus was located on the plain below the mountains. Rivers crisscrossed the land and the land was fertile. It was an oasis between the mountains and the desert.
The city is not big, maybe about the same size as a central state capital in the Tang Dynasty. Not to mention Chang'an, the largest capital in the world, even prosperous cities like Luoyang, Yangzhou, and Jinling are enough to overwhelm Damascus in size and population. .
Qin Changgeng put up a pergola with his hands and looked at the city of Damascus in the distance, and said excitedly: "We are finally here! However, Wangshan Mountain seems to be not far away, but it is already dusk now, and it will be midnight to reach the city of Damascus. This city is very dark at night. There is a curfew and no one is allowed to enter the city. Although the outside of the city is spacious, there are many patrol soldiers patrolling back and forth. Those who don't like it will extort money and get into lawsuits if they are not careful. We might as well camp here. , we’ll spend the night and head back to the city early tomorrow morning.”
Changsun Jun nodded, this was exactly what he wanted...
The camp site was chosen on the sunny side of a sand dune, close to the main road, with constant caravans coming and going. Only a bunch of guards were left on duty at night, so it was very safe.
Not far away, several caravans also chose to stay, apparently with the same idea and planning to enter the city tomorrow morning.
After the tent was set up, the chef in the caravan enthusiastically dug out all the ingredients, set up the stove, and cooked a sumptuous meal.
We had to save all the food on the way, but now that we have arrived at the end of the country, we can go to the city tomorrow morning to trade and replenish food, and then buy local specialties and sell them back to Chang'an, so there is no need to save food.
Besides, after climbing on ice and lying in snow along the way, the entire caravan drifted away from more than ten people. How could we not celebrate when we finally made it to Damascus alive?
By the time everyone in the caravan had dinner together and everyone had drank up the little wine they had been given, night had fallen.
…
Outside the tent, the biting cold wind blew howling. The small simple tent was crumbling in the strong wind, and it seemed that it would be blown away by the strong wind at the next moment.
Changsun Jun sat on a piece of carpet, tightened his fur, took a sip of wine, and took a bite of the camel leg in his hand, chewing it with relish.
In the past, Mr. Changsun had never cared about such poor food, and had never eaten it in his entire life. However, after more than two months of hard journey, the lack of oil and water made his cheeks sunken. At this moment, eating a mouthful of camel meat, A sip of bad wine is simply delicious.
Just such a piece of camel leg meat, the meat left after the camel that froze to death while passing through Suiye City was slaughtered, was stuffed by Qin Changgeng to him today.
It has to be said that Qin Changgeng was indeed very kind to him. He was not showing favor to him because of the employment relationship along the way, but he sincerely regarded him as a trustworthy person.
The Han people themselves engaged in all kinds of mischief at home and used all possible means to fight for power and profit. Even the traffickers and lackeys played tricks on each other to take advantage of small things. But once they stepped out of the country and came to a foreign land, they immediately united and united. We are never stingy in helping each other.
While drinking wine and eating meat, Chang Sun Jun sighed silently.
The entrance to the tent was opened, and a gust of cold wind blew in, making the lanterns sway. His personal entourage came in from the outside, rubbed his hands, and exhaled a breath of cold air. Before he could say anything, Changsun Jun put the lantern in his hand. The wineskin was thrown away.
The attendant quickly took it, drank a large gulp of bad wine, let out a long breath, and felt warm all over, then said: "Young Master, we are all ready and can take action at any time."
Changsun Jun stiffened when he refused the camel meat, then continued, asking: "Are you all asleep?"
"There are only four or five cronies still keeping vigil, but they are completely unprepared. I can ensure that they are dealt with quietly without disturbing anyone."
"Um."
Changsun Jun responded, lowered his eyelids and said: "Then let's do it, be harsher and faster, so that they will suffer less. After all, we have supported each other along the way, and there is always some friendship. The most important thing is, You must not disturb the caravans resting nearby, and leave immediately after you succeed."
"Here!"
The attendant responded, got up and got out.
Changsun Jun sat alone in the tent, carefully wrapped the remaining camel meat in oil paper, stuffed it under the clothes on the side, touched the oil on his mouth, took the wine bag, took a sip of wine, and sighed. After a breath, his eyes became a little sad.
In this world, people cannot help themselves.
He shoulders the great responsibility of the survival of his family, and he dares not neglect it at all. He and Qin Changgeng have grown from strangers to acquaintances along the way, and there is no guarantee that he will not be recognized in the future.
Once others find out that a son of the eldest son's family came to Damascus in person, and what happens next is earth-shattering, one can imagine the consequences for the eldest son's family.
His Majesty Li Er can tolerate the Changsun family causing trouble in the court, whether it is for the great cause of the Eastern Expedition or caring about past friendships, he will probably turn a blind eye. But if he knows that the Changsun family has collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country, then the only outcome that awaits the Changsun family
, it means raising an army to rebel, and then being suppressed and exterminated, nothing else.
Therefore, Qin Changgeng and everyone in the caravan must die. As long as these people die, his coming to Damascus will be flawless and will never be known to others.
Although he was a little unscrupulous and unethical, what could he do to ensure safety? He could only ask his dead soldiers to be more ruthless and faster when attacking, so that Qin Changgeng and the others would suffer less.
, it is best to lose your life in a daze while sleeping, without feeling any pain. When you wake up, you are already on the Naihe Bridge. If you drink a bowl of Mengpo soup, you will be in the next life...
After half a stick of incense, the tent was opened again, and it was the same person who accompanied him before. The horizontal knife in his hand reflected the light under the lantern, and blood dripped down the blade.