Iron Dynasty Chapter 1082

“A delegation from the Eastern Empire is in Abbas?” Kambis’s countenance was etched with shock. He hadn't managed restful sleep these past few days, his mind consumed by anxieties over the Ottoman Empire. He'd never anticipated such an opportune moment would suddenly present itself.

Al-Sassi interjected, “The Ottoman Empire maintains numerous marital alliances with Western nations. They will undoubtedly place greater trust in the West than in the Eastern Empire. Even should Suleiman remain steadfast in his decision, the other nobles will hinder him, thus creating an opportunity for us.”

Kambis concurred wholeheartedly. Even now, he struggled to fully internalize this shift. When had the world transformed into a mere arena for the Eastern Empire and the European powers? What role, he pondered, was left for the Central Asian nations in this new paradigm?

However, Al-Sassi had acquired intelligence from a Persian merchant two days prior. The might of the Eastern Empire, as described by the merchant, had also astonished him.

Now, the definitive account of steel warships from Pamir served as further confirmation that the merchant's claims were not fictitious.

“To avoid defeat in our conflict with the Ottoman Empire, we must seek the backing of the Eastern Empire. Al-Sassi, we shall depart for Abbas tomorrow. I wish to witness the Eastern Empire’s steel warships with my own eyes.”

“Yes, Your Majesty the King,” Al-Sassi replied, offering a bow.

The following day, Kambis and Al-Sassi officially commenced their journey. Fifteen days later, their imposing royal procession reached Abbas.

Tang Wenjie, who had been residing aboard the Zhenwei-Class warship for a full month, was ecstatic upon learning that the King of Persia had personally arrived in Abbas.

The Persian King's personal presence signified Persia's profound seriousness regarding the Empire, filling Tang Wenjie with considerable confidence for the upcoming negotiation.

“Ziheng, make preparations. We shall proceed to meet the King of Persia together,” Tang Wenjie instructed. Following the Persian King's arrival in Abbas, they had received the summons for an audience.

With an affirmative response, Fang Ziheng meticulously tallied the gifts designated for the Persian King. It was only then that he and Tang Wenjie disembarked from the warship and, under the guidance of Bohemi, made their entry into the city of Abbas.

Meanwhile, Kambis and Al-Sassi were already awaiting them at the provincial governor’s residence. Navigating through the heavily secured thoroughfares, the two soon came face-to-face with the King of Persia.

“Your Majesty the King, we are envoys dispatched from the Chinese Empire. Our objective in undertaking this journey is to forge a strong relationship with Persia.”

With that declaration, Tang Wenjie shifted aside. Behind him stood wooden crates, and at his subtle signal, these were opened one by one.

Tang Wenjie announced, “These are gifts personally selected by our Emperor, Xiao Ming, for Your Majesty the King. We earnestly hope Your Majesty will graciously accept them. They represent but a token offering!”

The instant the boxes were unveiled, the entire provincial governor’s residence seemed to be bathed in an extraordinary luminescence. The Persian nobles positioned along the sides of the chamber drew sharp, collective breaths, their hearts seemingly constricted by awe.

Kambis, considering himself a connoisseur of innumerable jewels and vast quantities of gold, found himself utterly unable to maintain equanimity after witnessing the contents of the crates.

Gazing at the composed visage of Tang Wenjie, he inwardly marveled, ‘Can this truly be considered a small gift?’

Al-Sassi swiftly regained his composure after the initial wave of astonishment. He nudged Kambis’s arm, recognizing it as his duty to prevent Kambis from embarrassing himself in the presence of an envoy from the Eastern Empire.

“Please convey my most sincere regards to your Emperor. Welcome to Persia; you shall find our friendship unwavering,” Kambis declared with a smile.

His gaze traversed the gifts, which gleamed with a brilliance akin to precious jewels. He then directed his attention to the other peculiar yet remarkably noble artifacts, posing a question: “Persian merchants have spoken of the Eastern Empire as a land of marvels, where colossal steel beasts, requiring no sustenance, can transport burdens many thousands of times greater than a camel, and where numerous other strange yet profoundly useful goods exist. Is this account true?”

“That merchant spoke nothing but the truth.”

Tang Wenjie retrieved a exquisitely crafted glass mirror from one of the boxes and presented it towards Kambis. “This is a glass mirror. I can confidently assert that no other nation possesses a glass mirror of such clarity as ours.”

Kambis could perceive his own reflection with startling clarity in the mirror held by Tang Wenjie, eliciting a subtle yet distinct surprise. He had never before beheld such a precise representation of himself.

Setting down the mirror, Tang Wenjie then had an attendant retrieve a pendulum clock from another box. The numerals displayed on this pendulum clock were distinctly Arabic.

With a gentle smile, he explained, “In our land, this device is known as a pendulum clock. We utilize this clock to delineate a day into twenty-four hours. The numerals currently shown indicate the present time.”

Kambis, naturally, recognized the Arabic numerals. He was once again filled with admiration for the superior craftsmanship of the Eastern Empire.

Subsequently, Tang Wenjie proceeded to elaborate on the other gifts they had brought, detailing their respective functions and allowing Kambis to fully grasp their utility.

Once Tang Wenjie concluded his presentation, the Persian nobles flanking him grew noticeably more agitated. From their perspective, each item displayed on the table was a treasure beyond measure in Persia; the gifts from the Eastern Empire alone could have purchased ten Abbas.

While Kambis felt a pang of envy for such opulence, a shard of pragmatism remained. He firmly believed that true power and security were not forged by riches, but by the unyielding might of the sword.

After offering another round of thanks to Tang Wenjie, he addressed the envoy, stating, “I am certain your visit entails more than mere gift-giving. I’ve received intelligence that relations between the West and the Ottoman Empire are thawing, with a treaty slated for signing in Greece. This pact, it seems, is intended to stand against you.”

Tang Wenjie's heart tightened. He hadn't anticipated such swift action from the Western powers. Maintaining a composed demeanor, he replied, “Your Majesty the King gravely miscalculates. To our Empire, the European nations are but insignificant jesters, hardly worth mentioning. The true objective of our delegation to Persia is to forge a strong alliance and cultivate robust commercial ties. Concurrently, we seek Your Majesty the King's permission to extract the black oil found within Persia.”

“Black oil.” Kambis's brow furrowed. This ubiquitous substance was common knowledge throughout Persia. In numerous regions, it was frequently unearthed when digging wells.

Furthermore, the utility of this black oil in Persia was extensive. The very streets of Ctesiphon were surfaced with it. Beyond infrastructure, it found applications in construction, medicine, illumination, and even in armaments.

A notable example was the Persian navy, which employed a projectile weapon system that launched ignited black oil at enemy vessels.

“Is that the extent of your request?” Kambis inquired, a hint of surprise in his voice. He had harbored expectations that the Eastern Empire might seek to incite Persia against the Ottoman Empire and the European states.

“Indeed, that is the sole purpose of our expedition. We are prepared to offer our Empire's manufactured goods in exchange for black oil, and additionally, to purchase land for the establishment of oil extraction sites. We earnestly hope for Your Majesty the King's favorable consideration.”

“Hahahaha…” Kambis erupted into hearty laughter. “The Eastern Empire is, without a doubt, a fascinating entity. This black oil is abundant within my lands. I shall gladly sell it to you, but you must first reveal the reason behind your insatiable need for it.”