Chapter 4003
Chapter 4003
Chapter 4003
The matter was of great importance, and Galar dared not be clever enough to conceal the situation. He knew that the imperial envoy sent by the Queen Mother was currently in Basra, and what he was hearing, the envoy had likely heard as well. The wisest course of action was to proactively report the border alert and ask the envoy for his advice.
The imperial envoy was currently staying at the governor's residence. Although Galler was anxious, he still followed official etiquette and first informed his guards of his purpose, then waited for the imperial envoy to receive him.
After a long while, a guard came out to inform Galar that he could enter for an audience.
As soon as Galler entered the room, he smelled a strong odor of alcohol. It seemed that this imperial envoy hadn't been idle during the day and had probably already had a good drink. It was probably Galler's arrival that made him restrain himself, as it wouldn't be appropriate to listen to local officials' reports while holding a wine glass.
A middle-aged man with a thick beard, dressed in a silk robe, leaned back on a soft couch, squinting at Galar, and asked lazily, "Lord Galar, what urgent military situation has you so nervous about?"
Galler respectfully replied, "Lord Arif, it is said that Persian armed cavalry are active in the border region. I think it is necessary to pay attention to this and be wary of what tricks the restless Persians may be up to this time."
The man whom Galar called "Lord Arif" was the imperial envoy representing the royal family to inspect Basra. The main reason this alcoholic Arif was able to become an imperial envoy was his lineage; the current Queen Mother Turhan was his cousin, making him a true member of the royal family.
This identity was clearly far more important than any talent or ability. Even a local official like Galar, who considered himself part of the Empress Dowager's faction, was considered an outsider in front of Arif.
However, Arif's main duty as imperial commissioner was to inspect the regions, confirm the loyalty of officials to the royal family, and assess their governance in their respective jurisdictions. Military campaigns and handling diplomatic affairs were not Arif's forte.
Arif exclaimed in surprise, "Are the Persians going to attack?"
Galar explained, "The rumors haven't been confirmed yet. I've sent scouts to the border to investigate, but it may take a few days before we get any news."
Arif, now somewhat sober, sat up straight and said, "If you discover any signs that the Persians are about to attack Basra, please inform me as soon as possible, Lord Galler."
Galler tentatively asked, "Does Your Excellency intend to personally don armor and lead the troops to confront the Persians?"
Arif glared at him and said, "You want me to go to the front lines and fight the Persians to the death?"
Upon hearing the tone of the voice, Galar quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "As our leader, you should stay behind and direct the overall situation. You shouldn't risk going to the battlefield."
Arif then softened his tone and said, "If the Persians dare to launch an attack on Basra, I must return to Istanbul as soon as possible to report this to the Sultan!"
Galler was inwardly horrified; Arif was clearly signaling his intention to desert at the last minute, but he dared not question it. If Arif returned to Istanbul and spoke ill of him to the Queen Mother, his position as Governor of Basra might be in jeopardy.
Seeing that Galer seemed unwilling to leave, Arif urged, "Is there anything else? Please tell me." Galer replied, "Rumors say that the Persian cavalry appearing in the border regions are equipped with firearms. From what we know, most of Persia's firearms are imported, and there aren't many countries willing and able to sell them to them..."
"Get to the point!" Arif interrupted Galer without any politeness.
Galler had no choice but to omit the middle explanatory section: "Whether it is true that the Haihan people might sell firearms to Persia can be determined by simply summoning General Qian, who is currently a guest in the city, and asking him."
Arif looked at Galar as if he were a fool and said, "That General Haihan wouldn't even talk to us about an exclusive supply agreement; he clearly intends to sell to several other companies. But if he doesn't admit it, can you detain him and interrogate him?"
Galar explained, “Although General Qian disagreed with our proposal, he lingered in the city, which means that the matter can still be discussed. I can sense that he has prepared some conditions for exchange, but I don’t know why he hasn’t brought them up. Perhaps he wants to make his demands after meeting Lord Arif.”
Arif nodded and said, "What you said makes some sense. Perhaps the Haihan people will only offer their real terms when they see someone on our side who can make the decisions."
The implication was clear: Galer was not considered "the one who could make the decisions." Although Galer was dissatisfied, he could only pretend not to understand Arif's meaning and nod in agreement with a smile.
Arif considered for a moment before making a decision: "Then let's meet! How about tomorrow?"
Galar thought to himself, "The military situation is extremely urgent. As an imperial envoy, you still have the mind to delay dealing with it until tomorrow. You really don't know the importance of things!"
But he dared not criticize the imperial envoy's actions to his face, so he could only advise, "Lord Arif, this matter is likely to cause complications if we delay. It is best to find out the truth as soon as possible. The longer it drags on, the more passive we will be in dealing with it. In my opinion, it would be best to invite General Qian over immediately."
If the Haihan people truly sold a large amount of weaponry to the Persians, fueling their ambition to attack Basra, then every day of delay would increase the risk. As the governor of Basra, how could Galer remain content to simply watch? When the Persians attacked, Arif would simply return to Istanbul, while Galer would remain to defend the city and fight; their mindsets were worlds apart.
Now, taking advantage of Qian Tiandun's visit to Basra, we should ask him questions face-to-face to clarify things and prepare for any changes in the situation.
Of course, if Galar hadn't been so impatient and had waited a few more days, Qian Tiandun's method might have failed. After all, he hadn't coordinated with the Persians beforehand, and there were practically no Persian armed cavalry equipped with firearms in the border region. There wasn't enough time to prepare someone to disguise themselves, and they would definitely be exposed if given enough time.
Qian Tiandun could try deception tactics, but Galer, as a local official, dared not take the risk of waiting for news from the border. Besides, what if the scouts he sent didn't encounter any Persian armed cavalry at the border? Would that prove they were safe? Clearly, it would be more effective to verify with Qian Tiandun in person.
Although Arif was somewhat displeased, feeling that Galar was overreacting, this was, after all, a matter of national security. He had already heard his subordinates' reports and couldn't continue to turn a blind eye. If something really went wrong in Basra, or even if war broke out, he, as the imperial envoy, would ultimately have to bear some responsibility; he couldn't simply run back to Istanbul and pretend nothing had happened.
Arif said, "Alright, then you can host a banquet in my name to entertain the Haihan people and invite them over to meet us to see if they can provide any useful information."