After leaving Shule, we continued to walk hundreds of miles westward. After crossing the Green Ridge, the Western Regions defined by the Central Plains Dynasty had already arrived behind him. Find the Amu Darya River at the foot of the Green Ridge and continue along the river in a northwesterly direction, after passing through the Sogdian grazing land. One day in November 269, Li Mi and his entourage finally saw a large group of buildings with vaulted roofs in their sight.

"The Great Hungro, this is the architectural characteristic of the Persians. This place is called Mulu City, and it used to be the territory of the Kushan Empire. But now it has been occupied by the Persians. ”

"Hehehe, it seems that the Persians not only occupied other people's land, but also forced them to change their own culture. Such a country cannot be underestimated. ”

Li Mi's team, by this time, was far more than three or four hundred people. Along the way, all the countries in the Western Regions have tried their best to please him, and after arriving in a country, it is one thing to eat, live, and have fun. When leaving, the princes of various countries gave away a dozen or dozens of guards. By the time they entered Persian territory, he and Kurshan's army had a huge army of 500 cavalry, 200 servants, and thousands of camels.

Such a large team suddenly appeared on the edge of a foreign town. Of course, it attracted the attention of the military and civilians in the city. The conversation between Li Mi and Kurshan here has not yet ended, and the alarm bell has been ringing in Mulu City over there, and a longing figure has quickly appeared on the city wall.

"It's really elite to respond so quickly. Old Ku, are all the armies of Sassanid Persia so well-made? ”

"Uh...... This is not very clear below. However, the Persian kingdom was at war with Rome in the west for many years, and the Kushan had to be suppressed in the east, and some nomadic tribes had to be harassed in the north. It can be said that he lives in battle all the time. Therefore......"

"I understand. In the land of the four wars, it is inevitable that we will always be ready for it. ”

While the two were talking, a group of black-haired and blue-eyed knights on tall horses, dressed in chain mail, carrying scimitars at their waists, with thick beards, galloped at the foot of the mountain.

"Be on guard, but don't take the first move." Without Li Mi's greeting, Long Yu had already taken the initiative to restrain his team - this is a big country, and it is a big country in the ascendant. In front of such a country, it is enough to be neither humble nor arrogant. If you want to be reckless, it's purely a problem with your head.

"Where do the guests come from? What's the matter? ”

Kurshan is a super businessman who has traveled to many countries, and he has translated quickly and accurately. And Li Mi smiled slightly: "I am an envoy of the Han Dynasty, and on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor and Da Sima, I have come to visit your country's Shazhongsha. ”

(Sha, in Old Persian, means 'king.') The sand in the sand is the king of kings. ）

"Big Han?" The cavalry captain who came to inquire was obviously stunned when he heard this name: "I seem to have heard of this country, but I don't know exactly where it is." ”

"Captain Jalali, I seem to have heard of this country as well. Why don't we go back to the city and ask Ma Ge first? ”

"Well, Racine, that's a good idea." After saying this, Jalali turned his head to Li Mi and shouted, "Please stay where you are, and I will go and invite Ma Ge in the city to come and talk to you." ”

"Hehehe, this general should go back quickly!"

Both sides finished talking. Jalali rode back to the city as fast as he could. The other Persian cavalry, though not dismounted, did not approach any closer, and not only that, but even the scimitars and the like were inserted into their scabbards.

Since the other side is also trying its best to avoid misfire, then there is no need for this side to be nervous. After receiving Li Mi's signal, the Han cavalry simply dismounted in unison.

"Oh, old Ku, this Persian cavalry horse is so beautiful! Why didn't you mention this matter to my family when you were in Chang'an? ”

"Ouch, my Dragon General. The horses of the Persian cavalry were very valuable, and it was forbidden to leave the country. I'm a small trader, how can I be able to bring out the stallions here? Besides, even if I bring it out, without strong protection, these horses will be robbed in the Western Regions. I can't get to Dahan at all. ”

"I see, but this time, since Ben is here, he has to bring dozens of stallions back. Isn't it, Lingbo? ”

"Hehehe, let's take the opportunity to do this later. Well, old Ku, what is this Maku? ”

"Ouch, my great Honglu, be cautious!" After a period of panic, Kurshan reacted: these Persians can't understand Chinese, what are they afraid of?

"The Great Hungro, the whole of Persia, worships the Holy Fire. Fire is believed throughout Persia to be the son of Ahuramazda (the creator of Persian mythology, whose spelling and logo are similar to that of a certain car brand in an island nation), and is a symbol of the supreme power in the hands of the creator...... In the royal court of Sassanid Persia, it is said that there is an unquenchable flame, which is in charge of the Sha in Sha himself. In cities all over Persia, there are shrines of sacred fires, and the people in charge of the sacred flames everywhere are Maga. They are the spiritual leaders of each city, and at the same time they are the most knowledgeable and wise men of each city. When Da Honglu meets their Maku, he must show respect. ”

"Huh~~~ This religion around the world is really strange."

In the past, Yizhou was taught by Taoism and Heavenly Masters, and it was once prosperous. After arriving in Chang'an, Li Mi also had brief contact with Buddhism. So he was no stranger to religion. But no religion in China has ever been able to rise above the royal power, and monks and Taoists everywhere have no higher social status in China. So this Persia, the most prestigious and wise city in a city, is actually a god. This is something that Li Mi can't understand.

The sound of horses' hooves sounded again at the bottom of the mountain, but it was Jalaari, who had left earlier, who had come running with two robed Magar.

"Guest, this is our Sala Haima Ge and Labadi Makud from Mulu City."

"Li Mi of the Honglu Temple of the Great Han Dynasty has seen two Ma Ge." Although his face was full of disdain just now, Li Mi's actions were very polite at this moment.

"Is the guest really from Dahan?"

"Of course, this official set out from Chang'an in the Han Dynasty, and it took eight months to cross the Western Regions, cross the Green Mountains, and come here. It is to carry out the instructions of His Majesty the Emperor and the Great Sima of our country to visit the sand in the sand of your country. ”

"Well, there is a crown on the head, the hair is fastened with a hairpin, and the clothes are on the right side...... It is really the appearance of the Han envoy more than a hundred years ago. Oh Ahuramazda, your brilliance is so dazzling that the Han people have once again come to our country to worship our sand and sacred fire! ”

Speaking of which, Sassanid Persia at this time had just been founded. Prior to this, the countries of this land were called the Parthian Empire in the West, and the Han Dynasty called them the Empire of Anxi.

Historically, the Han Empire had official contact with Central and Western Asia, which should have been in 115 BC. Later, in 87 AD, the Sabbath Empire gave the Han Dynasty a lion as a gift.

In 97 AD, Ban Chao, who arrived in the Western Regions but was already dying, wanted to know what the Western Regions and the legendary rich and civilized Great Qin (Rome) looked like. So he sent Gan Ying to the west as an envoy to Great Qin. Gan Ying traveled west to the Iranian Plateau and the Lianghe River Valley, and met the Shazhongsha of the Rest Empire at that time (the Rest Empire was not a centralized state, but a loose confederation empire. Within the empire, there were many semi-independent kingdoms and private domains. This is also the origin of the self-proclaimed sand of the sand by the supreme ruler of the Sasanians).

However, as a country sandwiched between the Han Dynasty and Rome, the Empire of Anxi was the most reluctant to have direct contact between the two world's top civilizations. Therefore, from the government to the business community, all kinds of deception and coaxing Gan Ying who wanted to go to Rome eventually led to Gan Ying's return in the Persian Gulf.

Having said so much, there is actually one meaning: although the Han Dynasty was far away from this land. But there have been official exchanges between the two places, and more than once. Therefore, in a religion that has a very high political status in the local area, so that its knowledge inheritance is relatively complete. Religious people here were aware of the existence of the Han Empire.

"Since Ma Ge knows that this official is Han, maybe take a look at this thing?"

"What is this?"

"This is my handwritten letter from the Great Sima of the Han Dynasty, as well as the letter of my Majesty. This official has come this time to discuss important matters with your country's Shazhongsha. ”

"I'm very sorry, distinguished guest, but we don't know your words. But such a large team of yours, coupled with your bearing. We believe that you are the official messengers of the Han Dynasty and are willing to report to our sands! ”

"Hehehe~~ In this way, there will be two Lao Ma Ge."