Hearing these words, the four of them all looked at Zhang Tan blankly. They had no idea that the middle-aged man in front of them, who looked like a philistine businessman, would have such a great background. His Majesty had given him so many important responsibilities back then.
He also had high hopes for him, and even said that once he returned to the Ming Dynasty, he would be granted the title of Bowang Hou.
This is a marquis. In the Ming Dynasty, it was impossible to win the title of marquis without leading tens of thousands of troops to fight the enemy. There are less than twenty hereditary marquises in the court now. Your Majesty actually promised to make him a marquis.
!
"No, if the emperor had promised to confer you the title of Bowang Hou, why didn't you return to the Central Plains?" Thinking of this, someone suddenly came back to his senses and asked: "This is a Hou. No matter how you say it, being a Hou in the Ming Dynasty is better than
It’s better to be a common citizen in Abyssinia.”
"You are right. It is better to be a nobleman in the Ming Dynasty than to be a common man in Abyssinia. However," Zhang Tan sighed and said, "I have not fulfilled your majesty's instructions, not to mention the country further west in the Qin Dynasty.
It's Da Qin. Even if I haven't been to the country of Tianfang, how can I be granted the title of Marquis after I return? Your Majesty can at most reward me with some property. My life in Abyssinia is pretty good, so I don't want to
gone back."
"Furthermore, I have married a wife and have children here. The child I have with a Daqin woman looks not much different from the Han people, but the child I have with an Oromo woman looks very different from the Han people. He will definitely be ostracized when I go back. Even so.
For the sake of my children, I can’t go back.”
"You still have two wives? Doesn't it mean that the Christian religion here only allows one husband and one wife, and cannot take concubines?" asked a guard.
"I don't believe in Christianity." Zhang Tan said.
Chen Yonghua glared at the guard who asked this question, as if blaming him for interrupting. Chen Yonghua turned to Zhang Tan and said: "You don't want to return to the Central Plains, so of course we won't force you. But now we need you to contribute to the Ming Dynasty, you
Are you willing?"
"What do you want me to do?" Zhang Tan did not answer immediately, but asked instead.
"I want you to tell the envoy of the Ming Dynasty about the inside story of the Kingdom of Abyssinia." Chen Yonghua said after careful consideration: "I'm afraid you don't know that the Ming Dynasty is going to send troops to attack Egypt. 20,000 elites and 20,000 people have already arrived in the Kingdom of Abyssinia.
They were resting in the port of Massawa. The Ming Dynasty had originally prepared a lot of food, grass and weapons for the army, but the pirates of the Tianfang Sect united and fought a bloody battle with the Ming fleet near Socotra Island, trying to prevent the heavenly soldiers from attacking Egypt. Although the Ming Dynasty won, there were some problems.
If we lose enough food, grass, ordnance, we won’t be able to use it enough.”
"When he arrived in the Kingdom of Abyssinia, His Highness discovered that the emperor of this country, Davit I, was very happy that the Ming Dynasty attacked Egypt, and even offered to help. After His Highness learned about Dawit I's situation, he wanted to make the Kingdom of Abyssinia
Make up for this food and grass."
"Your Highness, what Your Highness? One of your Highnesses has come to Abyssinia?" Zhang Tan asked in surprise.
"His Royal Highness the Seventh Son of the Emperor. His Highness the Seventh Son of the Emperor was born in the fourth year of Jianye. You may not know that. After capturing Egypt, His Majesty will make him the King of Egypt." Chen Yonghua answered.
"The Ming Dynasty has already captured Egypt!" Zhang Tan couldn't believe it at all. "In the sixth year of Jianye's reign, I left India for Persia and lost contact with the imperial court. At that time, there was a rumor that Timur was going to send troops to the east to fight against the Ming Dynasty. A few years later,
I just learned that the Ming Dynasty defeated Timur and captured many places in the Timur Khanate. How many years have passed, only ten years, the Ming Dynasty has already captured India, Persia, and Tianfang. Can it attack Egypt?"
"It's not what you think." Chen Yonghua explained to him, explaining that the Ming Dynasty did not capture Persia and Tianfang, but set out from India to attack Egypt, which relieved Zhang Tan.
"In this case, it won't do much harm to Abyssinia, so I promise to tell you the inside story of Abyssinia." Zhang Tan thought for a while and agreed to Chen Yonghua's request.
"Okay!" Chen Yonghua said with a smile: "Since Mr. Zhang agreed, then follow us to Aksum City where His Highness is. Your Highness, General Cao, and General Li will all listen to Mr. Zhang with their own ears. Mr. Zhang, don't worry, Your Highness will definitely
I won’t let your trip go in vain, I will definitely reward you.”
"I don't ask for much reward. The money I make is enough for my family. It's just that I am a Han after all. I contributed to the Ming Dynasty sending troops to attack Egypt. I just want a clear conscience." Zhang Tan said.
"No matter what you think, since you have contributed, His Highness will definitely reward you." Chen Yonghua added.
Now that the matter was settled, Chen Yonghua and others did not want to delay, and immediately took him to Axum. Zhang Tan did not delay, called the guys over to give some instructions, and said to the two women: "I have something to go to."
A trip to Axum and I’ll be back in a few days.”
The darker-skinned Oromo woman said nothing and just nodded in agreement; but the fairer Daqin woman glanced at Chen Yonghua secretly and said: "My dear, I also want to go to Axum City."
"What are you going to do?" Zhang Tan asked.
"My dear, you know that Adua City is far less prosperous than Axum, and some things are not easily available. I want to buy some things that are commonly used at home," the Daqin woman said.
"What is it, can't I buy it and bring it back?"
"Some of them are for women, so it's inconvenient for you to buy them."
"Here," Zhang Tan turned to Chen Yonghua and said, "Can I take a wife to Axum? He wants to buy things that are not available in Adwa City."
Chen Yonghua couldn't understand the Amharic the couple spoke just now, and he didn't know what was going on with Zhang Tan's sudden request. But he thought about it and agreed, "It's okay to take her with you."
"You can go together." Zhang Tan turned to his wife and said.
"I'll pack my luggage right away." When she heard Zhang Tan agreed to her request, the Daqin woman's eyes flashed, and she said again and immediately turned around and went to pack her luggage. However, she didn't take many things, so she simply packed them and went to the house.
Chen Yonghua and others rushed to Axum together.
They soon arrived at the city of Axum. The two cities were not far apart, so Chen Yonghua and others came on horseback again, galloped for a long time and rushed back before the sun set in the evening.
Chen Yonghua placed Zhang Tan and his wife in the guest room of the mansion and rushed to report the matter to Wen Di. Claviyo also went with him. Wen Di was stunned when he heard about this person's origin and sighed: "It turned out to be
More than ten years ago, I was sent to the West as an envoy when I was not yet born. It is really unimaginable. When I return to the capital after conquering Egypt, I must tell my father about this. He can tell me, how could he be reduced to a slave for a time? "
"No, he doesn't say such things himself, and it's not easy for me to ask." Chen Yonghua replied.
"At worst, when Gu summons him, just pretend to ask him casually. If he doesn't want to answer, that's it." Wen Di said this, then collected his thoughts and asked: "Since he came with you
Axum, are you willing to reveal the inside story of Abyssinia?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Chen Yonghua replied.
"In this case, it is getting late today, and tomorrow morning at exactly eight o'clock in the morning here, I will summon him alone. You also go and tell General Cao and General Li about this." Wen Di ordered again.
"I understand." Chen Yonghua agreed again. Seeing that Wen Di had no other instructions, he pulled Claviyo and bowed down. But Claviyo did not move. Instead, he said: "Your Highness, I have discovered something.
I think your Highness should be informed about this matter."
"What's the matter?"
"It's about Zhang Tan's wife."
"What happened to his wife?" Wen Di asked back. Just now Chen Yonghua said that Zhang Tan's wife came to Axum, and Wen Di didn't think it was anything.
"Her identity seems not quite right. She claims to be from Byzantium, that is, from Da Qin, but she does not look like a pure Da Qin person, but looks like a cannibal. And her Greek is not fluent enough, and her Latin is not fluent enough.
His English is even worse. He really doesn't look like a Daqin person." Claviy said.
"She may have concealed her identity. She was a cannibal but claimed to be a Byzantine. She may also be a person with a complicated past. But this has nothing to do with the Ming Dynasty, so there is no need to go into detail." Wen Di said.
Claviyo originally wanted to say other things. For example, although this woman's skin is rough now, her every move seems to have received aristocratic education, but she has not accepted it completely, and is only half-experienced. But since His Highness said that there is no need to go into details, he did not
After he continued talking, he bowed and left together with Chen Yonghua.
Early the next morning, Zheng Wendi summoned Zhang Tan and inquired in detail about the inside story of Abyssinia. Although Zhang Tan was just a furniture seller, he had contacts with many aristocratic and official families in Abyssinia, and occasionally heard
He already knew more than the Nanyang merchants. Wen Di felt quite pleasantly surprised.
"Your Highness, ordinary people only know so much." Zhang Tan finally said.
"This is more than Gu guessed. With this, we can speak to Davit I in a targeted manner." Wen Di smiled and said: "You have made great contributions, and Gu wants to reward you. What reward do you want? As long as
If I can do it alone, I will definitely agree."
"Your Highness, the common people don't ask for any rewards." Zhang Tan declined. However, Wen Di insisted on giving him a reward, and Zhang Tan did not dare to force him. He could only say: "If your highness is willing, I hope to give the common people something from the Ming Dynasty. The common people
You can also read it when you feel homesick.”
"It's easy. I'll let my servants choose and give them to you. But the reward is too thin. Well, how about you go to Egypt after the conquest of Egypt, and Gu will give you an official position?" Wen Di said sideways.
The leader gave an instruction to his servant, thought about it again, and said to him.
"Your Highness is so kind and I shouldn't refuse. But the people are already familiar with the country of Abyssinia and have no worries about food and clothing. They don't want to move to other countries. Please forgive me for your sins," Zhang Tan said again.
"That's all, since you don't want to go, I won't force you." Seeing that he didn't accept his kindness, Wen Di felt a little unmotivated and said a few more words to make him retreat.
Wen Di didn't go out in the afternoon. He discussed with Cao Xing and Li Jiqian what to say to King Dawit I tomorrow. While they were discussing, a servant suddenly walked in and said to Wen Di: "Your Highness, the servant has been brought back from the Central Plains.
I gave some of my things to Zhang Tan."
"What did he say?" Wen Di asked casually.
"Zhang Tan is not here. It is said that a wealthy family in Abyssinia heard that he came to Aksum City and asked him to come over to discuss custom-made furniture. It was the slave whom Zhang Tan's wife met. She didn't say anything about these things.
What, but she told her slave that she had something important to do and wanted to see His Highness, and that it would be useful in the attack on Egypt."
