Usurping the Mongols: My Father-in-Law is Genghis Khan

Zarathushtra said, "This matter is not difficult. Our Amir family still has some influence in Persia. What about the second matter?"

"The second thing is, I heard that there is a kind of Damascus steel blade that is quite good. Can you find a way to get the technique of smelting Damascus steel blades?"

Damascus steel blades are also known as Wootz steel blades. Not only is the blade covered with various patterns, like flowing clouds and flowing water, which is very exquisite, but it is also exceptionally sharp. To put it this way, the general hardness of swords in this era is below 30, while the hardness of Wootz steel blades can reach 60.

If we can get the forging method of Damascus steel blades, the military strength of the Mongols will take off directly.

"This..." Zarathushtra looked embarrassed and said, "To tell you the truth, Consort, although this knife is called a Damascus steel blade, it is mainly sold in Damascus. In fact, the steel ingots for casting this knife are produced in Tianzhu (India). Our family's power has not yet expanded to Tianzhu."

"I don't care about that."

Anyway, it's a seller's market. Zhao Shuo sat firmly on the Diaoyutai fishing platform and said lightly, "In short, if you can get me forty Arabian horses and the technology of Damascus steel blades, you can become my agent merchant in Persia. If you can't do it, then let's pretend we never met."

"This... I can! Within two years, I will definitely get these two things done for the Consort!"

Zarathushtra gritted his teeth and nodded.

Although Zarathushtra's family are all Zoroastrians, they were once prominent in Persia.

It was only in Zarathushtra's father's generation that they gradually declined due to poor management.

When Zarathushtra learned that those expensive and novel things came from the grasslands, in order to revive the glory of his family, he came to the grasslands from thousands of miles away, determined to succeed.

Although he doesn't know how to obtain the smelting technology of Damascus steel blades yet, he has already made up his mind to complete Zhao Shuo's test at all costs.

Afterwards, Zhao Shuo asked about the current situation in Persia.

According to Zarathushtra's description, the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled Persia, began to split and decline more than two hundred years ago.

If it hadn't been for the Khwarazmians defeating the Seljuks thirteen years ago, the Abbasid Caliphate would probably have been replaced by the Seljuks.

The current Abbasid Caliphate is mainly divided into three major forces. One is the orthodox Abbasid Caliphate, ruled by Caliph Al-Nasir. One is the Ayyubid dynasty, ruled by Saladin's brother al-Adil I. And the other is the Zengid dynasty, ruled by the descendants of the Turks.

This is too complicated.

Zhao Shuo's head hurt from listening, and he ordered Zarathushtra to pay attention to Persian intelligence, and then ordered him to leave.

Coincidentally, just as Zarathushtra left, an attendant hurriedly ran into the workshop and said, "Consort, I've finally found you. There are two scholars from the Southern Song Dynasty who have come to visit you."

For the people of the grasslands in this era, scholars from the Southern Song Dynasty are indeed rare guests they have never seen before.

"Scholars from the Song Dynasty? What are their names?"

"One is called Lu Zibu, and the other is called Xin You."

"Lu Zibu? Xin You?" Zhao Shuo thought for a while, but he really hadn't heard of these two names, and said, "What's the hurry? They're just two ordinary scholars. Let them wait in the camp."

After taking a tour of the various workshops with Sun Wei, Zhao Shuo returned to his own camp and met the two young men from the Song Dynasty.

The one on the left looked about twenty years old, gentle and refined, with a jade-like face, wearing a crow-green kesi raccoon fur coat.

The one on the right seemed to be two years younger than the one on the left, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, heroic and compelling, wearing a black narrow-sleeved crotch-length robe, vaguely revealing the cold light of the chain mail lining.

The two quickly paid their respects to Zhao Shuo and introduced themselves.

Zhao Shuo then learned that the young man on the left was Lu Zibu, the sixth son of Lu You. The young man on the right was Xin You, the youngest son of Xin Qiji.

Of course, Zhao Shuo was very familiar with Lu You and Xin Qiji.

But why would their sons travel thousands of miles to the Hulunbuir Grassland?

Zhao Shuo frowned slightly and asked with deep doubts.

"From the Song Dynasty to the Hulunbuir Grassland, if it's not ten thousand miles, it's at least five or six thousand miles. You two have come so far to see me, what exactly is your purpose?"

"Don't tell me any nonsense about admiring me for a long time. You'll feel disgusted saying it, and I won't believe it either," Zhao Shuo added.

"This..."

Lu Zibu was gentle and honest, meticulous in his actions, but lacked quick wit. Now, the words he had painstakingly prepared for half a year were blocked by Zhao Shuo, and he didn't know how to respond for a while, so he had to look at Xin You.

How about this, I will not let you make a trip in vain for the sake of your fathers.

Now, I will give you three choices.

First, join my workshop and learn from the craftsmen. If you learn well, you can become a supervisor or something. Second, join my caravan. If you don't do well, you can still find enough to eat and stay warm. If you do well, you can not only become a wealthy man, but also become famous in foreign lands. Third, live temporarily in the homes of ordinary herdsmen, learn to ride horses, shoot arrows, and herd sheep, and then think about what you want and what you can do."

Zhao Shuo could actually see that Lu Zibu and Xin You still had some skills. However, it was impossible for him to open the back door for the Song people. If Lu Zibu and Xin You wanted to make a career under him, they had to start from the bottom and be promoted based on merit, just like other Mongols, Western Xia people, and Han people.

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If they two have the ability, they will be promoted sooner or later. If they have no ability and no value, then get as far away as possible.

In Quan Ge's words, it is: go down and settle down.

Xin You said anxiously, "We are here to learn the art of strengthening the army, can't you let us join the army?"

Zhao Shuo chuckled and refused, "Everyone on the grassland is a soldier. My standing army, the Black Cavalry, is selected from the bravest warriors on the grassland. Are you better than the warriors who have fought their way out of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood in riding horses, shooting arrows, or fighting in battle formations?"

"Alright."

The two looked at each other and nodded slightly.

Lu Zibu said, "I want to live temporarily in the homes of ordinary herdsmen first."

Xin You said, "I'll go to the caravan."

Xin You wanted to make a career and gain Zhao Shuo's attention as soon as possible.

"Heda Hei Ba Tuer, first find a tent and let them rest for three days. Then, arrange it according to their wishes just now."

"Yes."

… …

… …

That night, inside Lu Zibu and Xin You's tent.

With no one around, Xin You finally couldn't help but ask, "Wenheng (Lu Zibu's courtesy name), what do you think of Consort Zhao Shuo's arrangements for us?"

Lu Zibu looked calm and said, "I don't think there's anything wrong with it. As the saying goes, there is no reward without merit. If Consort Zhao Shuo reuses us as soon as we mention our fathers' names, I'm afraid he wouldn't be a wise ruler. Besides, with our talents, a cone in a bag will reveal its point. Are you still afraid that we won't stand out?"

"You are optimistic," Xin You shook his head slightly, "I think Consort Zhao Shuo simply looks down on us two scholars from the Song Dynasty."

"Shouldn't he?" Lu Zibu smiled bitterly and said, "When it comes to scholars, how many times more does the Song Dynasty have than the Liao and Jin Dynasties? Why was it first humiliated by the Liao Dynasty, and then had to become a vassal of the Jin Dynasty?"

"I don't believe it!" Xin You gritted his teeth slightly and said, "Three years, no, two years, I will definitely make a career. I want to let Consort Zhao Shuo see that the scholars of my Song Dynasty are not pedantic Confucian scholars. We can also raise our swords and mount our horses and make meritorious service on the battlefield!"