The stirrup is a thing that depends on the idea. If you really want to talk about the technical content, it is actually very low, which is very conducive to imitation.

On the basis of history, after the appearance of stirrups during the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, stirrups appeared in Europe less than a hundred years ago. Therefore, to keep this thing technically secret is delusional - if you have the ability, your cavalry will go out to fight without stirrups. In this case, it is better to take advantage of the fact that it has not completely spread, and take it out as a favor.

No, isn't it just a good horse breed?

At this time, the Persian war horses were mainly divided into two types. One came from Central Asia, roughly equivalent to the present-day Akkhatakma. This kind of horse, on the outside, does not look very large, and that is because its muscles are extremely strong and thin. In fact, it is very tall, with an average shoulder height of about 155~157cm (Mongolian horses are generally 120~135cm). Its stamina is extremely strong and has a lot of strength. It can be used as a heavy cavalry mount or as a pull horse after being crossed with local horses.

There is also a desert area from the southwest of the two river basins. This is the famous Arabian horse in later generations. This horse is about 142~153cm tall at the shoulder, with high IQ and high speed, making it an excellent light cavalry mount.

Not only that, but because the genes are strong and stable. The Arabian horse was used by countries around the world to maintain the stability of the horse breed. Without the addition of Arabian horses, even if the Han gets a horse breed such as a sweaty BMW for a while, it will not be long before it will degenerate.

Besides, the current Dawan Kingdom no longer exists. On the borders of today's Turkmenistan, of course, there are nomads grazing, and there are also wild horses. But can these nomads deal with each other in the same way that the state does? Is it possible to provide thousands of stallions at once?

It is conceivable that if a few years later, the first batch of horses bred by the Han Dynasty would come of age, and the cavalry of the Han Dynasty would ride such high-headed horses into the North China Plain. When he looked down on the cavalry of the Jin Kingdom condescendingly, that scene was tsk.......

"Thank you, Your Majesty, in this way, the mission of the foreign minister has been completed for the most part. To show the highest respect for your generosity. My big Sima also has a gift to give. ”

"Oh?"

"Noble sand in the sand, this is the new paper produced by my Han, which is used as a carrier for writing. Convenient, light and cheap. And it can be stored for a long time. ”

Well, in Persia of this era, the carrier of its writing was still parchment. The cost is a bit expensive. Such an expensive text carrier is extremely detrimental to the dissemination of knowledge. And when knowledge is fixed in a very narrow circle, the country's development will soon hit a bottleneck.

As a preeminent emperor, Shapur knew very well what would happen when he and his descendants had to fix all official selections in the aristocracy. Therefore, when he learned that the production cost of a blank paper was less than one-tenth of a copper plate, he was completely shocked.

"Dear Li, can this, this new paper production technology be transferred to our country? I'm willing to trade 10,000 war horses for it! ”

"I'm sorry, my sand in the sand, this kind of production technology is not understood by the foreign minister. This was the first time in more than 100 years that the Han Dynasty had sent an envoy to the west. Therefore, our main task in this mission is to open the way. So along the way, all but a few envoys like me were warriors in our mission. "--I want to hang you with these things, otherwise the stirrups will be given to you, and you will come down and your head will be sober, what if you don't fulfill the contract? Also, don't expect anyone in our mission to provide you with this technology. Our team can only kill people, not make paper!

"Uh, okay. I would like to write a letter to Marshal Guan of your country. When you turn around, I will send elite cavalry to escort you, and send a delegation to Chang'an to visit your Marshal Guan......"

"Hehehe, our country's mission to your country must be upside down."

Next, Li Mi also sent soap, Shu brocade, bone china and other Han specialties to Shapur on behalf of Guan Yi. These things, Shapur also likes them. But in the end, it was the emperor who was obsessed with expanding the territory, and after he saw these things, he only politely thanked him, and said that he would use them for his concubines. There is no longer the shock and gaffe that showed when the stirrups and white paper appeared just now.

"Dear Sha Zhongsha, these sets of books are the historical books of our country, the "Historical Records", the "Book of Han", and the part of the "Three Kingdoms" that has not yet been completed by Chen Shou, a colleague of foreign ministers. In it, the history of our country and the heroic deeds of the past dynasties are recorded in detail. ”

After listening to Kurshan's translation, Shapur's expression became solemn. He loudly beckoned several waiters to his side, and asked them to redress themselves. Then he called his two sons, who had been listening to him: Hormuz and Balahim. Let these two princes, with the etiquette of half-kneeling, take over the history books of the Han Dynasty to Li Mi.

This kind of etiquette really made the hearts of Li Mi, Long Yu and others extremely satisfied. All of a sudden, Li Mi almost blurted out: 'I can make paper'.

"Prudence, prudence, as Da Sima said, diplomacy is like a battlefield, more exhausting than the battlefield."

Seeing that Li Mi just bowed his hand and did not say anything else. There was a flash of disappointment in Shapur's eyes.

But this disappointment was only for a moment. In general, what Persia gets today is a lot and practical. This shows the friendship of the Han towards Persia.

So, he quickly adjusted his mood: "Oops, I've been talking about it for a day unconsciously." Arada, the herald will set up a banquet, I want to treat the messenger of the Han Dynasty well! ”

In the next ten days, the entire Persian royal court entertained Li Mi and others with great enthusiasm. Li Mi also held talks with the Sasanian minister in charge of commerce and reached an agreement on the future trade between the two countries, the extraction of commercial taxes, and the maintenance of trade routes.

In the end, they are two of the largest countries in the world, and they have not had official contacts with each other for more than 100 years. Therefore, the Persians especially want to show the prosperity and strength of their country in front of the Han people, and the hospitality of Li Mi and his party is really enthusiastic. Not to mention anything else, at least in the rooms of Li Mi and Long Yu and other high-level members of the mission, there are no different maids every night.

"Hey, I'm happy here, I almost don't think about Chang'an."

Well, because of Guan Yi, the idiom of being happy and not thinking about Shu is probably not going to appear. But this meaning can be understood by many people.

"Hehehe, what's the matter, is it difficult to give up the tenderness to the Persian girl?"

"Hey! Lingbo, you don't know. This Persian girl has big breasts and fat buttocks, and a hot body. And it's very open in bed, and there are all kinds of tricks in various postures...... and my big man's daughter's house, completely two different tastes. Tsk......"

"Hmph, it's inevitable to act on the spot. I really can't bear it, so I'll just have to bring a few back when the time comes. ”

"This is not good, I brought it back myself, do I still have to bring it to General Ma? If you bring it to General Ma, do you want to bring it to Da Sima? Bring it to Da Sima, hmph, just with Da Sima's fearful bear, those ladies don't use knives to hack me to death? That's it, anyway, after the trade route is opened in the future, let Lao Ku and them come here to buy it. ”

"That's just as well. In recent days, I have sung peace with the princes and ministers of Sassanid Persia many times. Tentatively asked, they didn't think there was anything wrong with selling their men and women to a foreign land. This is completely different from our Da Sima who is going to jump up and kill people when he hears that he has sold Han people to foreign races. ”

"Well, this is the performance of our Great Sima who cares for the people. In other words, Lingbo, what do you think of the government affairs of Persia in the past few days? ”

"You care about this too? Hehehe, the situation in this country is quite a bit of the early years of the Han Dynasty. The feudal state and the county are parallel, and the monarch cannot completely and effectively control the whole country. Coordination between the states can only be strengthened by constant conquest. And in the war, the power of the central government gradually penetrated into the various states. ”

"I see. Well, in the next few days, I have had a few battles with many of their generals and warriors. The soldiers here are extremely brave, and in terms of personal martial arts, there are very few fancy things, and there are just a few tricks back and forth. But it's extremely practical. As for the army as a whole, the cavalry is indeed very strong, but the infantry, hehe, can't be a single blow to my Han spear formation. ”

"Is that so...... Well, but it's not interesting to talk about that. This country is too far away from my Han Dynasty, and if you want to do anything about this country, you have to rank after my Han Dynasty destroyed Jin and Wu. Now, of course, it is necessary to ensure that the trade routes are unimpeded. Not to mention, the Persian gold and silver coins are very valuable and very convenient to use. Compared with my Han side, rich businessmen have to take horse-drawn carts and ox carts to transport money at every turn, and I don't know how convenient it is. After I go back this time, I am also ready to make a proposal to Da Sima to reform the currency system of my Da Han. ”

When the two of them were talking gossip. A soldier from the Ji Han mission hurriedly walked over. After he approached the two of them, he whispered: "Two Shangguan, there is news from Zhao Cheng's side. He has done what you have commanded. ”