Aimeni didn't understand the meaning of the other party's words for a while, Li Jiangyao stretched out his hand to hook his shoulder, and patiently explained: "I said brother, this business is essentially investment. As you just said, whether it is a business or an investment, the essence of it is to buy low and sell high to make money. Think about it, your country is now going to worship the Western Frontier Alliance or the Turkic docks, and they are gaining momentum, and the price is also expensive. In the end, what you can get in return may not be enough to cover the cost of the input. From another point of view, if my Shengtang's million-strong army goes out of the west and successfully recovers the Ghost Desert in Western Xinjiang, then wouldn't you lose this deal immediately? Therefore, if you want to invest, you have to hold the idea of small and broad, and choose the goal of low price and great potential. ”

Aimeni blinked his small eyes and couldn't help asking, "General Li, where do you say that there are low-priced and high-potential targets now that can allow us to get rich returns in the future?" ”

Li Jiangyao patted his chest with a big grin: "The best investment object is far away in the sky, close in front of you, with Your Excellency's eyes, can't you still see it?" ”

Aimeni frowned, looked at Li Jiangyao quietly, and did not rush to speak.

Seeing this, Xie Tanzhi next to him hurriedly cooperated: "Your Excellency Ameni, although our army's strength is still slightly insufficient now, it has already occupied a place in Western Xinjiang after all. Come to the sun to recover the whole territory, or the Holy Tang army will come to conquer, you will make a lot of money because of this small investment. ”

Xu Youchang also continued: "Take 10,000 steps back, even if we don't succeed, you won't lose too much in this transaction." ”

The three of you say a word to me, and every word is inseparable from the business experience, so that Emmeni can't help but liven up his mind. The reason why the Persian Empire sent merchant missions to the west was for two purposes. The first is to give Ashina a Jin a face, try to ease the relationship between Persia and the Turks, and avoid setting himself on fire. The second is to establish diplomatic ties with the new rulers of Western Xinjiang as soon as possible so that trade can be resumed. Whatever the purpose, it is a business in Emmeni's eyes.

As long as it is a business, there are two possibilities: profit and loss. Among them, the risk of losing money lies precisely in what Li Jiangyao said -- the future trend of the situation in Western Xinjiang. If Shengtang really defeated the Turks and recaptured the ghost desert in Western Xinjiang, then the position and situation of Persia would indeed become not good. On the contrary, if he can secretly support Li Jiangyao while making peace with the Turks, he may have a windfall in the future.

Ameni, who had already made up his mind not to lend a helping hand to the Zhenjiang Army, began to seriously consider the feasibility of cooperating with Li Jiangyao at this time.

After pondering for a moment, Ameni asked Li Jiangyao, "General Li, what do you need me to do?" ”

Li Jiangyao saw that the old fox finally relented, and hurriedly said, "It's very simple. According to our spies, because Effantia ran away from home, you have not been able to go to Loulan as originally planned to exchange diplomatic credentials with the leaders of the Western Xinjiang Alliance. Therefore, we hope that the Persian Empire will not rush to recognize the status of the alliance for the time being, and will take a step to establish diplomatic relations with them. ”

"That's all there is to it?" Ameni asked.

Li Jiangyao nodded solemnly: "Yes, there is only this one request." If you can agree, it will be the greatest support and investment for our Zhenjiang Army! ”

"It's not like that!" Efantia pouted, "There are other requirements!" Dad, can you get Your Majesty to support the Shengtang and Zhenjiang Army, provide them with funds and equipment, and preferably send some troops to help in the war, the more the better! ”

When Li Jiangyao and the others heard this, they couldn't help but look at each other, and at the same time, they all felt ridiculous because of the straightforwardness of the little Persian beauty.

Aimeni frowned and pondered for a moment, and said to Li Jiangyao: "General Li, to be honest, your request is not too much. If you would like to see it as a gesture of goodwill to your country, we would be more than happy to try it. Such an investment, if it can be exchanged for huge returns in the future, is of course a good deal. However, I can only delay for time, but I can't really change the outcome. It was impossible for Persia to sever official relations with the West indefinitely. Unless ......"

Li Jiangyao asked, "Unless what?" ”

"Unless you can once again plunge the Western Frontier into a complex and chaotic situation, so that the Western Frontier Alliance cannot truly speak on behalf of the entire Western Frontier. In that case, we are not in a hurry to recognize his status, and it seems reasonable. "However, that means that there must be a resumption of all-out war in this land, not a small-scale armed division like the one you are now. As for asking the Persian Empire to provide you with any substantial help, I can't agree to it right now. ”

Li Jiangyao and the others nodded their heads when they heard this, indicating that they could understand Aimeuni's difficulties.

Emmeni sighed, then turned to Effentia and said, "Alas, my good darling, have you really decided to stay here with Metasequoia, as you told your father last night?" ”

Effentia didn't speak, just nodded firmly.

Aimeni drank the wine in the cup in one gulp, and said helplessly: "How do you say the saying of the Holy Tang Central Plains? Oh yes, the big girl doesn't stay. Dad spoiled you since you were a child, and now you can only eat the consequences. Your Uncle Duke is on his way here from Persia, and as soon as you reach the west, I will send him to protect you from Metasequoia. With Duke here, even if you are besieged by thousands of troops, he has a way to protect you...... Also, when I go back, I'll give him the token and bring it to you. Dad can't be the lord of the empire, and he can't promise to let Persia support General Li and them, but I can still make up my mind about the little things in my own house. Our family's business and various resources in Western Xinjiang will be handed over to you for dispatch in the future. ”

When Li Jiangyao heard him say this, he was immediately excited. Aimeni is a giant merchant on the Silk Road trade route that shocked the eastern and western continents, and its business industry can be said to be all over the place, in terms of financial resources alone, the rich Aimeni may be more powerful than the Shenhua family.

He raised his glass and laughed loudly: "Your Excellency, from today onwards, you will be our investor!" ”

-

After some intense conscription preparations, the army of the Western Frontier Alliance's second crusade against Metasequoia City was finally assembled.

Although the poster envoy Aimeni, who had been kidnapped before, had already returned to the Chechi court safely at this time, because Li Jiangyao's armament had developed to an unbearable level for the Turks, the temple prince Ronia still strictly ordered the countries of Western Xinjiang to organize a crusade against the coalition army and completely wipe out the remnants of the Protectorate of Shengtang Town, which was entrenched in the four cities of Metasequoia.

As for the experience of being abducted, several important Turkic ministers also questioned Ameni himself in detail.

Ameni had been prepared for this for a long time, and he tirelessly told them such a story: Li Jiangyao sent people to kidnap him, in a vain attempt to force himself to submit through coercion and inducement, to recognize the status of the Metasequoia Army in Western Xinjiang on behalf of Persia, and at the same time to extort a large ransom from him.

However, how could the brave and fearless Persian man Ameni bow his noble head in front of the kidnappers? He was righteous in his words, and scolded Li Jiangyao and others to his face for being cowardly, despicable and shameless. Under the deterrence of the righteous forces of Emmeni, the bandit leader Li Jiangyao felt ashamed of himself and couldn't help but feel remorse. In the end, the Metasequoia bandits could only give up their extravagant hopes and obediently send Master Emmeni back to Chechi.

For such a legendary story, the Turks can only smile and praise a few words of admiration, but they can't help but secretly curse in their hearts: Stupid people will believe you such nonsense!

However, the status of Ameni is noble, and he represents the Persian Empire, so of course he is what he says, and the prince of Gune cannot do anything to him. As long as people can come back safely, it doesn't matter how much gold and silver treasures he has paid Li Jiangyao in private in exchange for his old life.

What's more, Li Jiangyao won't be able to jump for long anyway.

The impending crusade was caused by the kidnapping and abduction of Emmeni, but the real key point was the rapidly expanding influence of the Metasequoia Legion in the capital of Zhenjiang. Since Metasequoia soldiers and horses occupied a large area of territory and issued a "talent search order" to the outside world, the entire western Xinjiang has become restless. The Shengtang officials, merchants, soldiers, and countless ordinary people who survived the disaster all fled to the territory of the Zhenjiang Army one after another, seeking refuge in the Shengtang, which made Li Jiangyao's strength increase day by day.

Every day that passes, the strength of the Shengtang people grows a little stronger. In the long run, it will inevitably pose a serious threat to the Turks' further domination of the ghost desert in Western Xinjiang.

As the Turkic governor in Western Xinjiang, Prince Ronia, the Templar Prince, also had to take this issue seriously.

So, under his strong pressure, the various vassal states in the alliance were ordered to mobilize and assemble, and a total of seventeen countries were involved, and the entire 200,000 crusading army was recruited.

Among them, several powerful countries in Western Xinjiang have not been able to dodge.

It's just that these guys have secretly signed a peace agreement with Li Jiangyao, but they don't know about each other, and Ronia and the Turks don't know about it.

The 200,000 crusading army was divided into three routes. The Left Army was commanded by King Geerhan of Chechi, and its troops were directed directly at Daban Castle, and its command was mainly composed of Chechi's army, plus a coalition of small neighboring states.

The marshal of the Middle Route Army was Alecjiang, the king of Loulan, and his goal was Metasequoia City. The right army was led by the prince of Shule, and was responsible for the attack on the city of Pay.

These two groups of people are all composed of the respective subordinate states of Loulan and Shule, and the two sides are clearly distinguished.

According to the painful experience of the last attack on Metasequoia, in order to prevent Li Jiangyao from sending troops to threaten the rear again, Duolun personally led 10,000 Turkic garrison patrols to assist the Marquis of Durham to defend the chariot division of Wang Ting, and reinforce the Metasequoia army that attacked all over the country at any time.

The vigorous and majestic second crusade war has finally begun.