Chapter 507: Tribute From All Nations (2)

In the 13th year of the Qingli period, that is, in 1053 AD, the Song Dynasty will hold a grand celebration.

This celebration is of great significance.

In addition to deepening the connection and trade with countries around the world, there are also military parades, titles and other activities to show the strength of the Song Dynasty to countries around the world.

At the invitation of the seven or eight envoys sent out, kings and envoys from various countries came one after another.

By mid-December, the countries within a thousand kilometers around the Song Dynasty had basically arrived.

In addition, there were also Brunei, Java and Srivijaya, which were a thousand kilometers away.

Especially Srivijaya, which was the farthest away, arrived first.

After all, the original king clashed with the Song Dynasty because of the interests of the Strait of Malacca, and eventually the grass on his grave was three feet high.

The new king Pu Jin used to be a businessman who lived in Guangzhou all year round, and naturally knew the strength of the Song Dynasty.

Therefore, almost as soon as the envoys left Srivijaya, Pu Jin spent half a year to stabilize the domestic situation and hurried to Bianliang in October.

On December 19th, there were fewer people outside the Bianliang Railway Station today.

Because the Ministry of Railways cancelled all passenger trains on this day, people could not buy tickets, so they could not take the train, and the pick-up staff outside the station would not come.

Although this would affect people's travel, there was nothing that could be done.

Because the envoys who had gone to the West had finally returned, they arrived in Guangzhou by sea, and then took a boat from Guangzhou up the Lingqu Canal, passing the Xiangjiang River, the Yangtze River, and the Han River, and finally arrived in Xiangyang on December 17th.

Now the telegraph has been successfully set up. Although the line has not been pulled all the way to Guangzhou, the telegraph along the Beijing-Xiangyang Railway has been set up, and messages have long been able to be exchanged.

So Guangzhou first arrived in Xiangyang by express horse, and the court learned about this in early December, so it booked the trip for this day.

There was really no way.

After all, there were more than 30 Western countries returning with the envoys this time. Small countries were better, and they might only bring a few dozen people, including gifts, and one ship could get them all.

Big countries have trouble. For example, the Abbasid Dynasty gave gifts of 300,000 kilograms to thank the envoys for their help. In addition to the goods brought for trade, the Abbasid Dynasty alone had to bring more than 2,000 people and 600,000 kilograms of goods.

Although the other dynasties were not as exaggerated as the Abbasid Dynasty, they still had more than a thousand people and 300,000 or 400,000 kilograms of goods. It can be said that the number of people and ships in the fleet more than doubled when the envoys returned from the West.

How can the transportation volume of trains be compared with that of sea vessels?

Therefore, just to send gifts and goods for trade to Bianliang, the Song Dynasty not only had to stop passenger cars for several days, but also had to stop trains originally used for transporting goods to serve these foreign guests.

They gave too much.

Because there were so many people coming this time, and they all brought valuable gifts, the Political System Council even sent the prime minister to meet them in person to show their importance to them.

This is a courtesy that even the current Liao Dynasty has not received.

After all, in Zhao Jun's view, destroying Liao is only a matter of time. It will take three to five years at the fastest and seven to eight years at the slowest. It is only a matter of time before the Song Dynasty goes north to destroy Liao and recover the Mongolian grassland.

In the early morning of the 19th, there were almost no people at the train station. The porters who used to work as coolies near the train station also left, and the rickshaws and horse-drawn carriages that picked up and dropped off guests outside also went to other docks to find work.

There are safety risks in hiring private wheels to receive foreign guests.

So these workers may have to work harder in the next few days. Either find something else to do, or just rest at home for a few days. At least there is no work for them at the train station these days.

However, so many guests coming from afar cannot be allowed to walk over, so the court prepared official carriages for them for ceremonial reception.

Again, the same thing.

Diplomacy is a big deal. First of all, you have to ensure the safety of foreign guests in your own country, and then the reception standards. Otherwise, if it is said that the public security of the Song Dynasty is chaotic, wouldn't it prove that the country's strength is not good?

Therefore, in addition to the official carriages, there were also imperial guards to open the way, and the entire perimeter of the train station was completely blocked, making a big show.

It was already the end of the year, and the streets of Kaifeng Prefecture were all decorated with lights and colors.

Even the buildings in the outer city were hung with ribbons, and the streets were crowded with people. The bustling streets were full of people preparing to buy for the New Year.

When the roar of the train stopped at the station, the originally quiet South Railway Station seemed to wake up from its slumber.

The carriages of Zhao Jun, Fu Bi, Wen Yanbo, and Han Qi slowly stopped at the entrance of the station, and then, surrounded by many imperial guards, the four of them walked to the exit.

According to convention, the Political System Council sent the youngest prime minister to such a welcoming event. After all, the other prime ministers were in their seventies and eighties, and they would try not to go to such crowded places if they could.

And the four of them are the youngest post-00s in the Political System Council today.

Post-1000s.

Zhao Jun was just 23 years old when he traveled through time. Now he has been in the Song Dynasty for 17 years. He will be 40 years old after the new year. According to the Song Dynasty age, he was born in 1013 AD.

Fu Bi was born in 1004, Wen Yanbo was born in 1006, and Han Qi was born in 1008. If they don't move around, will they let those old men in their sixties and seventies come?

So at this moment, everyone can only stand in the wind and wait.

"It is said that there are many small countries in these Western countries. We have suffered a lot for them."

Han Qi joked.

"Although there are many small countries, there are also many big countries."

Zhao Jun said with a serious face: "If this arms trade and other normal commercial trade are negotiated, it will be enough for our Song Dynasty to eat for several years. Besides, the soldiers are also catching a cold in the wind."

"Just a joke, just a joke, of course I know how important they are to our Song Dynasty."

Han Qi quickly adjusted his state and changed the subject: "It is said that the Abbasid Dynasty alone brought 500,000 to 600,000 kilograms of goods. I wonder how long it will take for the train to transport them."

"Although the cargo capacity of the train is not as good as that of the sea ship, it is still possible for a carriage to carry several thousand kilograms. A train has more than 20 carriages, and it is no problem to carry 300,000 kilograms, not to mention that it can be sent multiple times a day."

Wen Yanbo was previously in the railway The Ministry of Dao had done this before, so he was naturally familiar with the contents. He smiled and said, "Although there are many countries coming, even if the gifts and the goods they bring add up to tens of millions of pounds, they can be transported in seven or eight days, and they can catch up with the New Year celebrations."

"That's good. I was worried that the train would not be able to transport all the goods."

"You still underestimate the power of the train. Our Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Railways are now stepping up the construction of trains across the country. Several lines designated by the Political System Council will be opened to traffic in the next two years, which will greatly promote domestic trade."

"It is a blessing to see such a scene in my lifetime. It's a pity that my father passed away a few years ago. If I can take a train, it would be a great thing."

As the few people chatted, they talked about state affairs again.

Now, in the 17 years of the Song Dynasty, the changes are comparable to those from 2000 to 2017 in later generations.

Of course.

Here we are referring to changes, not the improvement of national strength and productivity.

If we count the national strength and productivity, the total improvement of the Song Dynasty in the past 17 years is not as good as the progress of my country from 2000 to 2001.

After all, although my country was backward before the millennium, it had already laid the foundation for industry. Whether it was heavy industry or light industry, it was already ranked among the top in the world at that time. The rest was just to go all out.

The Song Dynasty can be said to have started from scratch. It was not easy for Bianliang to have the changes it has today. Naturally, it would not be possible to catch up with the pace of my country's reform and opening up in just 17 years.

However, that was compared with ourselves a thousand years later. In the world a thousand years ago, the changes of the Song Dynasty were a leap-forward improvement. No country in the world could compare with it.

Because no matter how backward the Song Dynasty was, it had barely become the only industrial country in the world and had a certain industrial capacity, which was a crushing blow to other countries in the world.

As everyone was chatting, a few minutes later, with the sound of the train "woohooing", the direction of the exit in the distance became noisy and bustling.

The main envoys of the delegation, Tan Wenxue and Zhang Youwei, walked at the front of the team, followed by sixty or seventy people.

These people are the envoys and interpreters of their countries.

Basically, there are only two people from each country, which is equivalent to an ambassador with an interpreter.

As for other members, such as deputy envoys, counselors, and entourage, they are not even qualified to appear here.

Some were picked up by people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from other channels, and some were taken away by the next trip, the next trip, and the next trip.

"Zhiyuan, I am fortunate to have fulfilled my mission."

Seeing that Zhao Jun and his men were already waiting at the exit, Tan Wenxue and Zhang Youwei hurried over and bowed to them.

"Well, you did a good job. I also heard about what happened in Baghdad. You helped the Abbasid Caliph to restore order, and defeated tens of thousands of people with thousands of people. It can be said that you shocked the West."

Zhao Jun said with a smile.

"It was Zhiyuan who gave us the power to act at our convenience. The Seljuk State insulted us when we invited them, and I dare not insult the state."

The two said modestly.

"You are the pride of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The country will share honor and disgrace with you on this mission."

"Thank you, Zhiyuan."

The three exchanged a few pleasantries.

After that, they introduced the countries they were visiting to everyone.

"Zhiyuan, Fu Xiang, Wen Xiang, Han Xiang, this is the envoy of Chola, Pradeep."

"These are the four prime ministers of our Song Dynasty. This is Zhiyuan, and this is..."

"Hello."

Zhao Jun and others shook hands and nodded with each other.

This is the etiquette that the Constitutional Council asked the Ministry of Rites to formulate when the envoys set out.

Because the handshake etiquette in later generations is based on the customary etiquette of international rules, each country does not need to teach, everyone knows how to do it.

But it is definitely not possible in ancient times.

Each country has its own special etiquette. Some bow with the right hand on the chest, some bow with both hands clasped in front of the chest, and some simply hold the other person's hand and kiss.

If each country has its own etiquette, it will be too troublesome.

The Song Dynasty's hand-clasping salute is fine for a few people, but for such a large delegation of envoys, more than 30 countries, each country will clasp their fists and salute, and their arms will be very sore.

So after discussion, it was decided that the Song Dynasty should formulate the international order and uniformly change to handshake to reduce the red tape in diplomacy.

After these people came to the Song Dynasty, the Ministry of Rites would teach them a series of etiquette after adapting to local customs.

Including when meeting with high-ranking officials of the Song Dynasty, the main way of saluting should be handshake or hand-clasping. When meeting the emperor at a celebration event, the etiquette of their own country should be changed.

Of course.

The etiquette of some countries is definitely not good. For example, kissing Zhao Zhen's hand or forehead is enough. If there is no such distant etiquette, it can be replaced by the hand-over ceremony of the Song Dynasty.

This is also the main reason why personnel from the Ministry of Etiquette are involved in foreign affairs.

If diplomacy is not equitable and etiquette standards are not strictly followed, it is undoubtedly a rude behavior between countries and can easily cause diplomatic accidents.

The envoy from the Zhu Luo Kingdom had completely seen the power of the Song Dynasty along the way. Not to mention anything else, when their fleet entered Guangzhou Port, the salute fired by the local people to welcome them was enough to scare him.

Therefore, after meeting Zhao Jun and others, when they shook hands, they always leaned their upper bodies forward, close to a bow-like handshake, and their attitude was very respectful.

"Dear Governor, the Song Dynasty makes me feel majestic and vast. I really want to stay here for a longer time."

The Zhuluo envoy said respectfully.

"Okay, welcome."

After hearing what the translator said, Zhao Jun smiled and patted the back of his hand with a humble and gentle attitude.

joke.

These are all big benefactors. In the future, the Song Dynasty will be the world's factory, and may even do post-war reconstruction work for them in the future, provide them with loans, and continue to trade with them. How can the attitude be so bad?

"President, this is Dranath, the envoy of the Chalukya Dynasty."

"Hello."

"Dear Governor, the prosperity of the Song Dynasty makes people feel great. I also hope to stay here for a longer time."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"Zhiyuan, this is the envoy of the Ghaznavid Dynasty."

Tan Wenxue, Zhang Youwei and others introduced them one by one. They clearly remembered the names of these ambassadors and the countries they came from, showing their strong business capabilities.

Even Zhao Jun almost forgot which countries the first few were from.

After all, many of the countries here come from the Indian peninsula, the Middle East, northern Africa and central Europe.

There are white people, black people, and yellow people. Some countries came from neighboring countries. There are even people with similar races and names. It is really difficult to distinguish them in a short time.

However, as prime ministers of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Jun and the others had no obligation to remember which country the other party came from. They could just meet and talk for a while.

By the time the introduction was finally finished, almost half an hour had passed.

Zhao Jun then smiled and said: "On behalf of the Song Dynasty, I welcome you all. His Majesty the Emperor of the Song Dynasty has prepared a banquet for everyone in Changqing Palace. Please come with me."

As he spoke, a group of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Rites gathered around him. Almost every envoy was accompanied by an official, and it was polite to chat with them.

Then, under their leadership, many envoys and translators left the train station, got on the carriage arranged by the court, and headed for the city.