Time flies, it’s the third day of August.
Song Che bid farewell to the Posu Kingdom and prepared to continue westward to the Wusu Kingdom.
Wusu Kingdom is not far from Bosuo, about three hundred miles away.
The Wusu Kingdom is undoubtedly the most powerful country in the Western Region, and the surrounding small countries pay tribute to it every year, including the Posu Kingdom.
When she learned that Song Che was going to the Wusu Kingdom, Mandolin organized a caravan specifically to serve as a guide for Song Che and the others, and to pay tribute to the Wusu Kingdom in the name of the West Shan Kingdom;
As luck would have it, the thing that Whistle paid tribute to was the "Fire Huanbu" that Song Che was looking for.
It is said that "fire-proof clothing" is made of fire-resistant cloth. It is not afraid of fire, and it does not need to be washed if it is dirty. Put it on the fire and bake it to remove the stains.
It is precisely because it has such miraculous effects that it has become a good item that the Daliang cloth merchants have longed for. However, after Song Che actually got it in his hands, he discovered that it was not the case;
Fire cloth is actually "asbestos cloth". Asbestos cannot be regarded as a simple fiber product. Of course, it is not afraid of fire. Moreover, the asbestos cloth after fire will leave black marks, making it impossible to remove stains.
Asbestos is not a good thing. If asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs, they can easily cause diseases and even cancer;
It is okay to use asbestos as waterproof and fire-resistant materials, but it should never be made into clothes and worn on the body.
"Then Mr. Song, do we... have a chance to meet again?"
Mandolin and Xilan saw each other off at the gate of the city. It couldn't be said that they were reluctant to part, just a little bit regretful.
Song Che did not answer directly, but asked: "Her Majesty the Queen and General Xi, do you want to meet me again?"
Mandolin and Xilan looked at each other and nodded.
"Then you can only be my brother-in-law's little wife, and you have to be ranked behind me." Liu Xiang'er said suddenly.
The atmosphere was a little awkward for a while.
"This girl is not blocking her. Your Majesty and the general must not mind her." Song Che grinned twice, "Then, let's say goodbye to Song."
With a faint farewell, Liu Xiang'er was dragged onto the camel and continued on the journey.
…
This time, the person who serves as the tribute envoy of the Whirlpool Kingdom and also serves as the guide is none other than Beya, a female warrior who participated in the competition to win the seal in the past.
With Bea leading the way, walking in the desert became easier. She would explain in detail where there was water and where there was quicksand.
In this way, the journey was smooth, and ten days later, on August 13th, we finally walked out of the Gobi desert, stepped into the green grassland, and entered the territory of Wusu country.
The environment has become comfortable, and the number of people is gradually increasing. Walking on the road, you can see many business travelers passing by, and there are even Persian and white faces.
Wusu is located in the western border of the Western Region, not far from Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Many foreign businessmen come here to do business.
"Oh! My God, may I ask... are you a businessman from Dongtu Daliang?"
"The cargo you are pulling is actually silk!"
"Sir, can you sell this batch of silk to me? I'm willing to pay you three gold coins to buy it!"
Any foreigner who sees Song Che's caravan will come up to inquire about the price. Especially those from Rome, they could even offer five gold coins per horse.
Five gold coins are equal to five taels of gold, which is equivalent to fifty taels of silver. The cost price of the best silk cloth in Song Che's batch is only more than one tael, but the price has increased nearly fifty times!
The Silk Road was closed in the past few years, but these foreigners were stifled. No wonder Tang Hulu came to the Western Regions no matter what, the profits were too high.
It's a pity that Song Che's hundreds of pieces of silk were used for disguise and tribute, otherwise he really wanted to sell them to these Tibetan merchants.
But seeing this scene also made him more sure of the importance of the Western Region market. If his "neutral country" could be built, he would just move the gold and silver back home.
Although Song Che couldn't sell goods, he would always tell the merchants who inquired:
"On the shores of Lop Nur Lake in the northern part of the Western Region, there is an emerging country called 'Beiliang'. In a year and a half at most, it will open a mutual market, and goods from the Liang Dynasty and surrounding countries will be transferred and purchased there..."
Foreign businessmen who are eager to seek business opportunities will definitely rush to spread the word after hearing these propagandas, and even "advertising expenses" can be saved.
——
"Hey! Hey!"
"You haven't eaten yet! Work harder!"
"Snapped!"
"Ah! Stop fighting, stop fighting..."
In the middle of the road not far away, I saw a convoy transporting stones. The wheels were stuck in the potholes. There were seven or eight hard workers in front and behind pushing and pulling. However, the wheels seemed to be stuck very deeply. A truck full of stones was at least 30 meters deep. It weighs two thousand pounds.
Is it possible for manpower to handle such a heavy cargo?
There were also several guards with knives and whips in the convoy, who treated the laborers like animals and whipped them mercilessly. Many of them had bloody wounds on their backs, which was too horrible to look at.
The most ironic thing is that there is a bald monk standing in front of the convoy transporting stones. Isn't it too ungrateful that this monk, who has always been "compassionate", looks at the hard work with indifference?
"Brother-in-law, they are so cruel..." Liu Xiang'er covered her eyes and couldn't bear to look directly.
Wusun is a slave country, and most of these hard workers are slaves or criminals. Although Song Che is a kind-hearted person, he does not bother to meddle in other people's business, and only urges the caravan to pass quickly.
"It's useless. It will kill you after two slaps. It's really unlucky. Take it away and throw it away!"
One of the peons couldn't withstand the beatings and fell to the ground. The guards kicked him a few times. When there was no movement, they sent two peons to throw the man to the roadside and let him die.
Song Che still couldn't bear it. Since he was caught, he might as well do a favor. He got off the camel, picked up a few stones on the side of the road, and put a few stones in front and behind the stuck wheel. Then he asked Nangong Yue and the others to lend a hand, and they worked together to push the car out.
"Thank you for this great benevolent man..." The hard workers thanked each other one after another. Looking at their simple appearance, they didn't look like criminals.
"Thank you, hurry up and leave. If you delay the construction period of the national division, I will hang you all!" The guard did not appreciate it very much and continued to urge the hard workers to move forward.
Song Che grabbed a guard and couldn't help but ask: "Hey, have these people committed any serious crime? Why are they treated like animals?"
The guard was a little impatient, "These are serfs who can't farm. Is there any difference between slaves and animals? Go, go, and leave as soon as possible. Don't delay us in getting to work!"
Song Che shook his head and didn't ask any more questions.
"Hmph, for a country like this, which is also known as a powerful country in the Western Regions, if it were placed at the top of our list, the peasants would have revolted long ago!" Liu Xiang'er sneered.
"Boss, come here quickly, this man seems to still be breathing."
Nangong Yue squatted next to the hard worker who had been abandoned by the roadside, and felt his breath. He was definitely still alive.
