Chapter 147 Winning Hearts and Minds

Awad said humbly, paying Chen Mu a sign of respect that he would normally reserve only for the king of his own country.

Chen Mu nodded and motioned for Awad to rise.

"Let us go inside and talk, Mr. Awad. I deeply admire the courage and wisdom you displayed during the invasion by the Western State. Perhaps there will be many opportunities for cooperation between our two sides in the future."

Chen Mu's demeanor was neither overbearing nor servile, striking a suitably polite tone.

Awad thought to himself:

I assumed that with such a formidable army, Chen Mu would treat me with extreme arrogance, but I never expected him to be so remarkably modest.

To serve under such a heroic figure will be my honor in the future; I must not let this opportunity slip away.

Awad made up his mind right then and there: he was determined to pledge his allegiance to Chen Mu.

From that moment on along the journey, Awad served Chen Mu with the utmost attentiveness. When evening came, Awad prepared a grand banquet, featuring dozens of beautiful women skilled in singing and dancing who performed traditional Egyptian ethnic dances.

Several of Chen Mu's generals stared with wide-open eyes, for such exotic and uninhibited spectacles had never been witnessed in the Central Plains.

Chen Mu, however, felt nothing. After all, having lived through a past life, he had seen far more daring and provocative dances, such as pole dancing.

His gaze fixed on Awad as he considered how to keep this fellow in line.

For now, the man appeared obedient and seemed unlikely to harbor any treacherous thoughts.

Yet even if Awad were to play tricks, Chen Mu had nothing to fear. As soon as his troops entered the city, Chen Mu had dispatched several personal bodyguards to lead elite squads and secure strategic positions around the perimeter.

Should Awad attempt any resistance, Chen Mu could swiftly take control of the city and disarm Awad's forces. At this point, Awad was simply fish on a cutting board, with no other choice whatsoever.

When the banquet concluded, Awad felt the time was right to speak his mind. He looked at Chen Mu and lowered his voice.

"Great and enlightened Crown Prince, I have a matter of utmost importance to report to you. Would it be convenient for the two of us to step into the adjoining room?"

Chen Mu smiled faintly and nodded.

"I will bring a few of my guards along. You do not mind, do you?" Chen Mu said casually. One must always be on guard against others; though he believed Awad would not attempt any clever schemes, an extra precaution never hurt.

"Of course not, of course not. I harbor no malice toward you whatsoever, and it is only right that you take extra precautions."

Awad led the way, guiding Chen Mu and his bodyguards into a small adjoining chamber.

Chen Mu swept his gaze across the room. It was a small space with rather luxurious interior decoration and ornate furnishings; it was impossible for anyone to be hiding here, nor was there any room for ambushers with swords and axes.

As soon as they stepped inside, Awad suddenly dropped to both knees, performing the traditional Chinese kowtow he had spent the day inquiring about to learn how to properly pay homage to great figures in Great Xia.

"Crown Prince, from this day forward, I am your loyal servant. I am willing to place the lives of all twenty thousand people in this city entirely at your disposal."

"I am also willing to make you my master. Henceforth, wherever you command me to strike, I shall strike. I will be even more fiercely loyal than the people of Great Xia."

Awad stepped forward and even kissed Chen Mu's boots, following the custom of his own culture.

Chen Mu was slightly taken aback. *Damn it, this fellow was so eager to surrender that I didn't even have to push him over; he fell all by himself.*

Chen Mu nodded and told Awad to stand up.

"It turns out Mr. Awad also wishes to embrace the civilization of Great Xia. That is a wonderful thing, and it is a sentiment I have long shared."

Chen Mu chuckled, then said to Awad:

"Rest assured, as the very first foreigner to surrender to us, I shall report this to the imperial court and secure the title of a duke for you."

Chen Mu went on to explain the official rank system of Great Xia and how nobility worked within the empire.

He intended to mold Awad into a prime example; in the future, whenever he sought to win over and absorb other foreigners, he could use Awad as the textbook case.

Awad was ecstatic and deeply thrilled. *The people of Great Xia are truly wonderful! The moment I surrender, I get to become a high-ranking official.*

"My deepest gratitude to the great Crown Prince."

Now that the administrative official of the town had surrendered, Chen Mu could proceed with even broader measures.

He directly conscripted able-bodied laborers from the town, selected the bravest and most formidable among them to form a new military unit, and promised that those who distinguished themselves in future battles would be given opportunities for official promotion.

As for the former Egyptian soldiers and incompetent officers, Chen Mu ordered them all to clear out.

As for the corrupt aristocrats who had tried to seize the opportunity to commit wrongdoings, and the unlawful merchants who hoarded goods for profiteering, Chen Mu had them all brought to justice, their properties confiscated, and their hoarded grain distributed to the civilians who had suffered the heaviest losses in the war.

By doing so, he dealt a crushing blow to the wealthy elites and powerful gentry of the city while inspiring the ordinary commoners to feel genuinely overjoyed by the arrival of the Great Xia army.

"This Crown Prince of Great Xia is truly a deity from ancient legends; he has come to save us."

Many people exclaimed with excitement and joy. After all, no matter the place, the absolute numbers of the impoverished classes vastly exceeded those of the aristocratic and powerful clans.

Chen Mu understood this principle well: first strike down the powerful gentry and wealthy landlords, then elevate talented individuals born from the impoverished classes. In the future, these people would be steadfastly loyal to the Great Xia military. Even if the former elites attempted a counterattack, they would find zero support among the common populace.

As a result, pro-Xia sentiment within Egypt would only grow stronger over time.

From another perspective, through this approach Chen Mu had also acquired vast amounts of gold, silver, treasures, grain, and textiles without cost, which he subsequently distributed among his subordinates to boost the morale of his soldiers.

Meanwhile, the scouts Chen Mu had sent out to investigate the Western State's army returned.

After crossing the sea, the Western State's fleet had entered a harbor where warships appeared numerous, preventing the scouts from getting any closer.

Nevertheless, it was now at least known that the Western State maintained a large military base by the coast, whereas Great Xia's Strait Fortress was situated on the eastern side of Egypt, which was a less-than-ideal location.

Consequently, Chen Mu decided to select a site in northern Egypt to establish a new port, naming it Strait Port.

The Great Xia navy would be stationed there, while the land forces at Strait Fortress would be responsible for maintaining communications throughout Egypt and exploring petroleum resources.

The construction of this port proceeded smoothly, with no interference from the people of the Western State, who remained confined to their own harbor.

However, for the time being, Great Xia forces could not advance further due to the unique local terrain.