Chapter 4005
Chapter 4005
Chapter 4005
When Qian Tiandun saw that Arif and Galler were still staring blankly at him after the translator finished speaking, they clearly hadn't grasped the implied meaning.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, thinking that these two were indeed a bit narrow-minded and hadn't realized that the last missing link in the sea route connecting East and West that he had mentioned was the Suez region under Ottoman control.
Qian Tiandun had no choice but to abandon his roundabout tactics and put forward his conditions directly: "Our country hopes to purchase or lease the Suez region at the northern end of the Red Sea from your country in exchange for restricting arms sales in the Persian Gulf region in accordance with your country's requirements."
Arif finally understood Qian Tiandun's intention: "Your Excellency intends to use the Suez Canal as a springboard to connect to the Mediterranean?"
Qian Tiandun nodded and said, "This move is only to open up trade routes. If your country can grant our request, we will repay your goodwill in other areas as well."
Basra is located at the northeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, while Suez is located at the northwestern tip, with a straight-line distance of about three thousand miles between the two places. As a local official, Galer naturally had no way to intervene.
Although Qian Tiandun had previously been in contact with Ilhan, the governor of Suez, he did not discuss this matter with him. The reason was simply that Ilhan was not of high enough rank, and it would be pointless to talk about it.
It wasn't until Arif, the imperial envoy, finally appeared that Qian Tiandun felt the time was right to negotiate and to bring the matter to the table for discussion. Although Arif couldn't make the final decision, his special status meant he could at least convey Haihan's terms directly to the Ottoman rulers.
If we could persuade Arif, it would be far more valuable than winning over local officials like Galer and Ilkhan. Having him go back and whisper in the Empress Dowager's ear might actually bring this to fruition.
Arif said, "As far as I know, foreign caravans only need to pay a toll to enter the Mediterranean through the Suez region. The local government has not set up any other obstacles. There should be very few caravans from your country going to Suez. Is it really necessary to control this region at all costs?"
Arif clearly did not believe Qian Tiandun's reasons. In his view, these claims were simply unfounded—Haihan doesn't have many goods transiting through Suez, so why would they spend a fortune to lease or buy land from our country? Obviously, there was something fishy going on; the cunning Haihan people had other schemes!
Qian Tiandun said, “There is an old Chinese saying that no one gets up early without a reason. As long as our country manages the Suez region, we will naturally find ways to generate substantial profits for the local area. I can tell you frankly that the initial investment is all for the long-term returns in the future.”
"Moreover, the benefits of this cooperation are not one-sided; your country also benefits. The taxes paid by the Suez region to your court should be extremely limited. I can guarantee that in the coming decades or centuries, the rental income your country will receive from there will be several times greater than the original taxes."
"If your country is willing to sell that region directly to our country, that would be even better. This would greatly help improve relations between the two countries, and your country would receive more support from the East in the future. Whether your country intends to conquer the Mediterranean coast or advance north into the East European Plain, our country can provide the military equipment needed for the operation."
Arif narrowed his eyes, a look of suspicion on his face, and said, "General Qian seems to know a lot about our country's situation?" Qian Tiandun said, "The Ottoman Empire has been established for more than three hundred years and has never stopped its process of external expansion. The Mediterranean coast and the East European Plain north of the Black Sea are both rich lands with great development potential. Your country must have already included them in its future territory, right?"
"If your army could be equipped with weapons produced by our country, the efficiency of combat would be greatly improved. The time and manpower saved would be enough to occupy an area of hundreds of Suez Canals. It would be a very worthwhile deal for your country."
"Most importantly, our two countries are thousands of miles apart, and there will be no geographical conflict between us. We can confidently establish a mutually beneficial cooperative relationship. Such cooperation can be obtained in exchange for just the Suez Canal, Lord Arif. Don't you find it tempting?"
After listening to the translation, Arif remained silent, seemingly deep in thought, weighing the pros and cons, but in reality, he still did not truly understand how Qian Tiandun's deal was to be carried out.
Arif was indulging in pleasure and had no interest in politics. To outsiders, he was undoubtedly a good-for-nothing. However, he was of noble birth and had traveled to many countries and met many people. He was well-informed and knew a lot. In his view, this matter was not as simple as a business deal between the two parties.
The Suez region was a remote area far from the center of power in the Ottoman Empire, and indeed not considered an important location, let alone a strategically vital passage like the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. In terms of local tax revenue, even Basra ranked far ahead of Suez.
While some goods are currently transshipped between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea via Suez, the volume of land transport is incomparable to that of sea transport, and the profits are quite limited. Arif believes that trade around the Suez region is not impossible, but it is unlikely to achieve the level of profitability described by Qian Tiandun.
The Haihan people wanted to lease the Suez region to develop trade in exchange for arms trade. This was not something that could be discussed, but Arif felt that there were many unreasonable aspects to it. Qian Tiandun's words not only failed to dispel his doubts, but also made him feel that the other party was deliberately concealing something. He simply could not believe the sincerity of the Haihan people.
After much deliberation, Arif replied to Qian Tiandun: "General Qian, in our country's history, there has never been a practice of handing over territory to another country for management, nor has there ever been a practice of selling territory. In my opinion, this is not a reasonable suggestion, nor is it conducive to normal exchanges between our two countries."
"Furthermore, I have heard that your country produces very powerful weapons, but that does not mean that our country urgently needs your military equipment. In fact, so-called firearms have long been in service with our army. Two hundred years ago, when our country attacked Constantinople, which is now the capital Istanbul, we were already using artillery. More than a hundred years ago, in the Battle of Mohács, we defeated the invincible Hungarian cavalry with artillery and muskets."
"The weapons you sell are not necessities for us, and our country will not exchange territory for them. If you choose to sell arms to Persia to put pressure on our country, then I can only say that you will not achieve your goal, and our country will not accept such coercion."
Galler stared blankly at Arif, as if he had just met him. He never expected that this seemingly muddle-headed imperial envoy could utter such a resolute statement.