The Byzantine state has always had close relations with China, and the Byzantine state has always treated China with the most friendly attitude. Now the Chinese fleet has arrived in the Red Sea and has also sunk quite a few Arab ships. The Byzantine state, which was also suffering from the Arabs, hoped to form an alliance with China to deal with the Arabs.

Zhao Jiaren couldn't help laughing out loud after reading such a manuscript handed over by Xiong Shangshu. He has always set his sights on Mongolia, at most extending his commercial tentacles to the Indian Ocean. So Zhao Jiaren didn't think about the things on the west side of the World Island. To him, it was nothing more than a faraway wilderness. Europe, still in the Dark Ages, was a world of genuine barbarians.

Of course, the Byzantine state was already one of the most civilized of the barbarians. At least that's what Zhao Jiaren thinks, so he is willing to take his precious time to deal with this matter. If the envoy of the Byzantine state came later, Zhao Jiaren would have to go to the field to inspect the spring work.

Seeing Zhao Jiaren smiling happily, Xiong Shangshu asked, "Does Taiwei know about this Byzantine state?" ”

Zhao Jiaren nodded, "I remember I wrote a Europa list. I guess I told you about the history of the Europa region. In addition, the fleet also brought back a lot of Arabic books, and we also started translating them. ”

Xiong Shang didn't speak for a while after listening. He has always felt that his knowledge is actually not bad, but when he talks to Zhao Jiaren, he always feels that he is too far from Zhao Jiaren in terms of the breadth of his vision.

Zhao Jiaren didn't feel embarrassed, he used more than 100 sentences to briefly tell the history of Rome. Xiong Sheng understood well, but he understood a little, he said: "Western Rome was destroyed by the Xiongnu who moved west and the Germanic barbarians who moved south, and Rome was left with Eastern Rome. But why did Eastern Rome become a Byzantine state? ”

Zhao Jiaren replied: "I'll talk about this later." How did the so-called emissaries of the Eastern Roman Empire come over? Have you investigated? ”

"It is said that it was through the members of the Sect of Joy and Joy that they helped them to get to the port of the Red Sea. That's the chance to get on our ship. The captain said that there was an order from you, Captain, to investigate the information in various places, and the envoy of the Eastern Roman Empire gave a lot of information, so he brought them back. Xiong Sheng informed Zhao Jiaren of the information of the investigation.

Yici Leye Jiao is the Israeli translation in China. One is a joy to teach the congregation, that is, the Jews. It was the Romans who drove the Jews out of Israel, but when the Eastern Roman Empire was dying, it was the Jews who helped the people of the Eastern Roman Empire to arrive in the Great Song Dynasty to ask for help. If the messenger is true, the karma in the middle will be too dramatic.

"Let the envoy of the Eastern Roman Empire see me for a thousand years." Zhao Jiaren decided to have some fun.

The emissary of the Eastern Roman Empire had black hair and black eyes, and had darker skin. This appearance alone gave Zhao Jiaren some confidence in the origin of the envoy. Blonde and blue-eyed, with a lot of hair on their faces, and they turn red when they get sunburned, they are the Norse barbarians. The sisters in the barbarian tribe can show a golden appearance in the sun because of the thick hair on their skin. The one in front of him is close to the legendary Romans.

"Do you speak Greek, or Latin?" Zhao Jiaren asked.

The messenger looked embarrassed when he heard the translation, and he replied in Latin: "Returning to the noble Prime Minister, I am an Orthodox priest. The emperor of the empire heard that the Chinese were looking for a Latin teacher, so he sent me. I actually spoke Greek in Constantinople. Of course, I use Latin when I pray. ”

"How much territory is left of the Eastern Roman Empire?" Zhao Jiaren continued to ask very unceremonious topics.

The messenger was silent again. Apparently he did not expect that there would be such a person in distant China who knew so much about Byzantine history, and after thinking about it, he replied: "Honorable Prime Minister, we in Byzantium still have Constantinople. ”

Zhao Jiaren is not very familiar with the history of the Eastern Roman Empire. Or is the part of the drama he was really interested in ending when Cleopatra committed suicide and Octavian executed Caesar's son. After that, I was only scattered with interest in such sporadic historical events as the 'Battle of the Teutonic Forest' and 'Nero was actually fighting to put out the fire at the time of the Roman fire'.

However, Zhao Jiaren understands the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire. It was when he did not understand the relationship between Orthodox Christianity and Christianity, and Zhao Jiaren wondered why the Ottoman Turks had besieged Constantinople for so long, and why the countries of Western Europe that believed in God had stood idly by.

Now that he heard that this priest had told the truth, Zhao Jiaren was basically sure that this person should be someone who knew about the situation in the Eastern Roman Empire. He then asked, "Then what hope does your king have for us?" ”

The envoy of the Eastern Roman Empire hurriedly replied: "Your Excellency Prime Minister, if China wishes to conquer Egypt, the Byzantine Kingdom is willing to provide China with information on all aspects. ”

Hearing this, Zhao Jiaren felt that the Eastern Roman Empire was not a thousand-year-old country. Even if it later changed to the Byzantine kingdom, at least the basic intrigue was still there. Now that only Constantinople remains, the Byzantine kingdom probably has nothing to lose.

"We need information on the Mediterranean. We need information on the whole of Europa, and I think Constantinople must have recorded history, including the time of the Roman Republic. Zhao Jiaren said in unskilled Latin. Because many psychological terms are Latin, Zhao Jiaren has a half-dead tongue for Latin. The Latin spoken by this pastor can be understood by Zhao Jiaren. I couldn't help but show off.

Looking at the pastor's surprised gaze, Zhao Jiaren smiled bitterly in his heart. A psychiatrist who is susceptible to lightning strikes, he speaks English and French, two languages that are now barbarians. It's really unpredictable. But after thinking about it, Zhao Jiaren was also relieved. As China grows stronger, English and French may once again become the languages of the barbarians in the future. China's long-lasting prosperity is Zhao Jiaren's sincere expectation.

After waiting for the envoy of the Eastern Roman Empire to go down, Xiong Sheng asked puzzledly: "Taiwei, is it difficult for us to use troops against Egypt, which is thousands of miles away?" "That's the advantage of having a map, just look at the map to know which countries in the world are at the moment.

"The Mongols fought Egypt decades ago, and the Mongols beat it, why can't I?" Zhao Jiaren asked with a smile.

After listening to it, Xiong Shangshu felt that this was not like what our Song gentleman should say, and there was nothing wrong with thinking about it. Even the Mongolian ambassador blamed the Great Song. Thinking of this, Xiong Sheng hurriedly asked, "Captain." But I don't know why I have to exchange the northern Han army first, and then exchange the Mongols. ”

Zhao Jiaren saw that Xiong Shang still hadn't figured it out, so he explained: "In Dayuan, the Mongols are first-class people, the Semu Hui people are second-class people, and the Han people are third-class people. We have to let the Han people know that in the eyes of our Great Song Dynasty, the Han people are higher than the Mongols. ”

"But these northern Han people may not think so." Xiong Shang expressed his opinion very implicitly.

"North of the Huai River, it has not been under the rule of my Great Song Dynasty for more than a hundred years. The old land of Khitan has fallen into the hands of the Hu people for hundreds of years. In the end, as soon as we say it, the local people think that they are our Great Song people. This has to be done gradually. ”

"If the Han people in the north think that our Great Song Dynasty is too benevolent and righteous, they will continue to work for Mongolia. Wait until you are defeated and captured, and then pretend to be pitiful. ”

"It's not easy to think about not being killed every time in a war. Even if you don't get killed, after being injured, you probably won't be able to go to the battlefield for the rest of your life. Those who died for the Mongols went to war, but they were afraid that they would not survive two battles. Moreover, in the Great Yuan, the Mongols were the lords, and the Han people in the north were the second. The Mongols are the roots, and the northern Han people are the branches and leaves. As long as the Mongols can be eliminated, the Han people in the north will naturally be able to solve it. ”

“…… If the captain must think so, I will also listen to the captain's opinion. ”

Xiong Sheng felt that Zhao Jiaren's thoughts about the Han people in the north seemed to be wishful thinking, but he himself could not come up with a more insightful opinion, so he gave up the matter.

After going out, Xiong Sheng felt that he still had to discuss more with Taiwei Zhao in the future. Judging from the matter of exchanging prisoners, Taiwei Zhao is not simply Weifu for his own use, and he is also very rational in considering things. After walking on the road for a while, Xiong Sheng began to slowly be able to agree with Zhao Taiwei's statement. The Han people in the north did not have a sense of identity and belonging to the Great Song Dynasty, and those who had a sense of belonging had already come to the Great Song Dynasty. So wishful thinking expects them to identify with Da Song immediately, it is better to do something that can give them a sense of belonging.

The work of the Ministry of Rites is not busy, and he can carry out the 9-to-5 work very well. As soon as five o'clock arrived, Xiong Shangshu left the office and went home. When he arrived home, he saw a guest, and it turned out to be his cousin Lu Dingchuan.

"Brother, when did you release it?" Xiong Shang said in surprise.

"Released this morning." Lu Dingchuan's expression was gloomy, and he did not have the joy after being released.

"That'...... What are the arrangements for the future? Xiong Shang asked.

"I want to appeal." Lu Dingchuan answered Xiong Xiang's question with a stubborn emotion.

"Appeal ......" Xiong Shang repeated before remembering this legal term. To appeal is to disagree with the legal decision, so the case is appealed to the higher authority. Thinking about the content of the appeal and the description of the case, Xiong Sheng smiled bitterly: "Brother. This is the final judgment. It cannot be appealed. If you can appeal, you will not be released. ”

Lu Dingchuan said with a gloomy face: "Brother, that's why I came to ask you for help." If you talk to the people in Dali Temple, it's better to arrest me again. I want to appeal. I didn't neglect my duties! ”

Hearing this, even Xiong Sheng felt that he couldn't support his cousin. If the court sentences Lu Dingchuan to death for treason, without Lu Dingchuan appealing, Xiong Sheng will jump out to help his cousin appeal. Now that the court has sentenced Lu Dingchuan to be a fugitive, Xiong Sheng feels very reasonable.

If Lu Dingchuan is not guilty, then how should Xiong Xiang, who has followed Taiwei Zhao to the present, deal with himself?