abcnovels
Chapter 203
Chapter 203
Chapter 203
Over time, the people’s lives in the Great Tang underwent significant changes gradually. In the past, many believed that the phrase “changing rapidly day by day” was an exaggeration from ancient times. For centuries, the lives of Central Plains residents followed a daily routine, much like their fathers, grandfathers, and ancestors for generations.
The common saying among the people was “endure the days,” reflecting the ordinary folks’ way of life. However, the modern Great Tang was different. Life underwent dramatic changes daily, which was no exaggeration. Yesterday, the son of the Zhang family imported a set of small stamping machines to lower the prices of nearby iron goods. Tomorrow, the neighboring village would likely follow suit. Ordinary people rarely competed and struggled like this throughout history.
This situation left many elderly scholars sighing, mourning the decline of morality and traditional customs. Despite these concerns, the court silently acknowledged this development. After all, people competed not out of malice but to improve their lives. The entire court celebrated their success.
Among the wealthy and noble families, there were also new trends. Previously, these families compared their children’s success, the grandeur of their estates, and the magnificence of their gardens—all focused on flaunting their wealth, often tied to cars, houses, money, and offspring.
However, a new way to showcase affluence had emerged. They compared possessions like Kunlun slaves, Silla maids, and Bodhisattva, luxury items, and status symbols. When young heirs of wealthy families went out, they liked to display their status by bringing along exotic servants. A few dark-skinned and robust Kunlun slaves radiated an undeniable aura of status. This shift couldn’t be discussed without mentioning the Western Regions.
After pacifying the Western Regions, numerous small states were subjugated, resulting in many captives. To manage them efficiently, even Li Er couldn’t be bothered to deal with them individually. Upon arriving in Changan, the former dignitaries of these small states usually received rewards but were subsequently retained in Changan, similar to raising pigs.
Now, all these individuals have officially been categorized as slaves, treated as tradable commodities, much like livestock. These exotic slaves were available in both the Eastern and Western markets of Changan. In the Eastern Market, which catered primarily to luxury goods consumption within the city, they sold slaves like Kunlun slaves and Silla maids—slaves with unique skills or distinctive appearances.
Indeed, these slaves were considered genuine luxury goods. In the Western Market, where common people shop, they sold slaves who didn’t look significantly different from Tang people. These slaves were treated purely as livestock. When households lacked labor, they could casually pick out slaves by paying some money, a process similar to choosing livestock. They inquire about their age and place of origin and even inspect the slaves’ teeth to assess their oral health.
With the prosperity of the Great Tang’s people today, this slave trade quickly gained popularity across the country. Merchants saw the profit potential in this business, especially with the reopening of the ancient Silk Road after the pacification of the Western Regions. Merchants from the Great Tang and various ethnic groups flocked to it, effectively reactivating the Silk Road.
One such scene unfolded in Guangzhou, Jinchang City, outside Yumen Pass. A massive procession of over a hundred camels slowly arrived at the foot of the city gates. The leading camel carried a carriage adorned with various gemstones, and inside, soft, pure white woolen blankets lined the carriage. Sitting atop them was an elderly man with a long beard, dressed in a white robe and a round hat embedded with gemstones. As he lifted his head and gazed at the towering walls of Yumen Pass, his eyes held a hint of bewilderment.
This man was Sayyid, hailing from the distant land of Persia. The Sayyid family held considerable prestige in Persia, with their patriarch holding an important position in the Persian court and a close confidant of the Persian king. Sayyid had come to the Great Tang as an envoy on a diplomatic mission, a development from a year ago.
A year ago, a trade caravan from the Great Tang traveled to Persia, carrying abundant Tang silk and porcelain, causing quite a stir. The Persians, long aware of the valuable goods from the distant East, learned about the current situation in the Central Plains through these Tang merchants. They discovered that under the reign of the Emperor, the Great Tang had established peace and trade routes, particularly in the Western Regions.
The Persian king, hearing this news, couldn’t sit idly by. He sought a powerful ally to share the pressure from the Arab Empire to the west. Additionally, the Persian nobles yearned for luxury, thus fostering a culture of trade in the country. Eager to establish diplomatic ties, the Persian king dispatched envoys to the Great Tang, with Sayyid as their leader.
Initially, Sayyid expected this diplomatic mission to be routine, having undertaken such tasks countless times in his past life. However, upon setting foot on Tang territory, he found himself constantly awestruck. The expansive plateaus boasted vast pastures teeming with countless cattle and sheep. The sight of every herdsman wearing a genuine smile of contentment led Sayyid to believe that this region was the heart of the Great Tang. After all, in nearly every country, it was an unchanging truth that living standards in the capital were typically higher than in other areas.
Indeed, the Tang herders in the Green Mountains radiated immense happiness unlike any Sayyid had ever encountered. Their cheerful faces alone testified to the prosperity of the Great Tang. However, local officers who greeted Sayyid offered a different perspective. They explained that they were in the western borderland of the Great Tang and that the journey to the capital, ‘Changan,’ was still quite a distance away. Sayyid found this so surprising that he could hardly believe it.
Following the officers’ guidance, he led his group eastward. As they descended from the Green Mountains, they were greeted by endless orchards – a sight similar to legendary abodes of gods, such as those in Persia. Yet, here in the western borderland of the Great Tang, it was a reality.