Chapter 53: The Art of Imperial Balance

Although the Persian army fought desperately, the disparity in combat strength was simply too great, and before long, they could no longer hold out. The Persian general led his troops back to the royal palace, hoping to protect the king, only to discover that the king was nowhere to be found. Upon inquiry, he learned that the king had fled even before the battle began.

The Persian general’s spirit immediately collapsed, and he ordered his soldiers to lay down their arms and surrender.

Chen Mu led his troops to occupy the royal palace and swept away all the treasures the Persian king had left behind, filling over a hundred large chests.

Next came the question of how to deal with the Persian state and whether or not to pursue the fugitive king.

Within the grand hall of the palace, Chen Mu sat upright upon the royal throne, while the generals and officers each brought out their folding stools and took their seats below.

This folding stool was another of Chen Mu’s inventions, known in his previous life as a “barbarian chair,” which, according to history, was introduced to Central China during the Tang dynasty. Chen Mu had brought this innovation forward by who knows how many years.

The so-called folding stool was a small collapsible seat made of wood and leather straps. It unfolded for sitting and, with a pull of the strap, could be easily carried away when not in use—exceptionally convenient for military camps.

It was much beloved by everyone.

Once all were seated, Chen Mu asked, “Does anyone in Great Xia speak Persian?”

Zhang Zhong replied, “There might be someone in Wen’an County. We could post a notice to find them.”

Chen Mu nodded, “Very well. Send someone to Wen’an County to search. Then, using Persian, post notices seeking those who speak the language of Great Xia.”

“Afterward, have the Great Xia people who speak Persian serve as advisors here, and select a Persian who can speak the language of Great Xia to be king.”

Zhang Zhong hesitated, “Your Highness, are we still letting a Persian be king? The new king we supported in the Southern Barbarians is young and easily controlled, but if we choose a Persian who speaks our language, we can’t be sure what kind of person he’ll be.”

Chen Mu replied, “It doesn’t matter. His throne will have been secured by the power of Great Xia, so he will continue to support policies favorable to us. We can also add a provision: any royal decree must be approved by a majority of the advisors before it can be issued.”

The officers nodded; this would make the Great Xia-speaking advisors the “treacherous ministers” who would check the new Persian king’s power.

Zhang Zhong asked again, “What if the original Persian king tries to stage a comeback?”

Chen Mu said, “If the new king and his advisors can handle it, that’s for the best. Dividing Persia between two factions is in our favor—it’s the art of imperial balance.”

“If they can’t handle it, we’ll simply return, but next time we won’t be so polite.”

The officers nodded; the next intervention would serve as a stern warning to any opposing Persian factions.

Chen Mu had considered adopting a policy of conciliation, but upon reflection, found it inappropriate. Whether a policy is right or wrong depends entirely on the prevailing circumstances.

Having read much history, Chen Mu knew one thing: to naively pursue a conciliatory policy everywhere would inevitably end in failure.

Even with sea routes, travel from Great Xia to this land was far from convenient. The cost, manpower, and material resources involved in running ships was already an issue, not to mention their limited cargo capacity—they could carry people, but as for goods, it was a mere drop in the bucket.

For such distant regions, Chen Mu could only choose this policy.

After settling these matters, Chen Mu took a thousand of his invincible Flying Cavalry to tour the various parts of Persia.

While sweeping through the towns, he had noticed some interesting things, and this time he made a point to survey Persia’s production.

Riding through the city, Chen Mu periodically took notes on paper. When he reached the villages outside the city, he smiled.

“There’s such a vast expanse of cotton fields here. It seems Persia’s output is quite substantial.”

Zhang Zhong asked, “Your Highness, what is cotton?”

Chen Mu replied, “A type of crop. Come, let’s take a look.”

He rode over, dismounted, and walked to the edge of the field. Plucking a boll of cotton, he squeezed it in his hand, finding it quite satisfactory.

Zhang Zhong also picked one, squeezed it, and even tasted it.

“Your Highness, can this be eaten?”

Chen Mu laughed, “It’s not for eating. It’s made into clothing—to be worn.”

Zhang Zhong’s curiosity grew. “It’s so light—can it really keep you warm? How much cotton would it take to make a garment as warm as a fur coat?”

In Great Xia, fur was considered the warmest attire, prized for its thickness and insulation.

Chen Mu explained, “Fur is warm, but it’s extremely expensive and scarce. Cotton, on the other hand, is abundant, cheap, and its price is comparable to grain. Even commoners can afford it, and it’s just as warm as fur.”

“Comparable to grain? That cheap?” Zhang Zhong exclaimed.

Chen Mu nodded, “Look at the size of these cotton fields—Persia has already mastered large-scale cultivation. Once our interpreters arrive, we can bring both the technique and seeds back with us.”

“Then everyone in Great Xia can wear cotton clothing.”

Hearing this, the generals were astonished. Who could have imagined that a campaign against Persia would yield such a miraculous discovery?

Chen Mu hid a smile, thinking to himself that once a few cotton garments were made and his men had the chance to try them on, their amazement would be unimaginable.

It took time to post notices in Wen’an County seeking interpreters. During this period, Chen Mu and his men traveled throughout the parts of Persia controlled by Great Xia, carefully investigating the distribution and output of various local specialties.

Besides cotton, there were also chili peppers, curry, and other unique products.

With winter approaching, eating chili or curry would be quite pleasant.

Back in Great Xia, food quality was good, but the variety was lacking.

Now, after conquering Persia and obtaining chili and curry, Chen Mu made a quiet decision: he would collect all his favorite foods from his past life and bring them to Great Xia—whether through trade or by force of arms.

After a few days, Wen’an County sent over more than a dozen people proficient in Persian.

They were all itinerant merchants who had done business with Persians in a private capacity. While their command of Persian was initially limited, they had learned much on the journey and were now quite capable.

Chen Mu explained in detail the duties of an “advisor,” and they were all eager to take on the role, expressing their gratitude to the prince.

Though they would be leaving their homeland, rising from humble itinerant merchants to powerful ministers of state was an incredible leap.

Chen Mu felt a sense of wonder himself—how important it was to master a foreign language.

When these advisors heard that Chen Mu intended to support a puppet king, they immediately recommended several merchants they had previously worked with.

Chen Mu had them brought in, asked a few questions, and quickly selected one to serve as the new king.