Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 4838: No Xun Port
The moment the fleet saw the "Luohe Yiguo" lighthouse, it began to deviate from its course, leaving the route that had been sailing along the coast and diving south into the vast ocean.

Three days later, a brand new port under construction appeared on the horizon. When the fleet approached, several small boats with white sails came to meet them in the harbor. The bows of the boats cut through the waves and the sterns were covered with white foam, and they were moving at a very fast speed.

When they could see the yellow dragon flag on the fleet clearly, the boats also raised flag signals, and then drew an elegant "U"-shaped track in front of the fleet, leading the fleet into the port. The sailors of the fleet also cheered and crowded at the side of the ship to wave at the boats. After thousands of miles of ocean and mountains and rivers, they were naturally very excited to see their comrades here.

When the fleet lined up and sailed into the port that was still under construction, I saw the black-haired Chinese people of the same race and origin on the shore and on the water, as well as the slogans painted everywhere, such as "Life is the most precious, safety comes first", "Work hard for a whole year, and have enough food and clothing for a lifetime", etc., which were full of naval atmosphere. It felt like returning home...

When the craftsmen, soldiers, and merchants in the port saw the huge fleet sailing into the port, they put down their work and gathered on the dock, jumping and greeting the warships, and their cheers were earth-shaking.

When you are in a foreign country, there is no more exciting thing than seeing your own powerful warships cruising on the sea. When you have a strong country behind you, this sense of security is the happiest.

"Woooooooo..."

The sailors on the warships blew their horns in response to the warm greetings from their compatriots on the dock. Amid the melodious sounds of the horns, the warships entered the port and anchored one after another.

The flagship "Prince of Wei" had just moored and put up the gangplank when a short boy on the dock took a few steps and sprinted onto the deck as light as a falcon. Seeing Yang Zhou in his helmet and armor, he knelt on one knee and saluted: "I am Fu Yulong, the Zhaowu School Lieutenant stationed at Moxun Port, and I am honored to meet you, General!"

When Yang Zhou saw that this young man who was less than 20 years old was actually the Zhaowu Commander stationed in Moxun Port, he felt a little surprised that such a young man was already the Zhaowu Commander and was trusted by the navy to take on such an important task. But when he heard that he called himself "Fuyu Long", he suddenly understood.

After Su Dingfang led his army to capture Pyeongrangseong, the army marched south and broke through the capital of Baekje, Sabiseong. Baekje was destroyed, and the whereabouts of the crown prince Buyeo Pong were unknown in the chaos. King Jiji and Prince Buyeo Long were escorted to Chang'an. Because Prince Buyeo Long had been oppressed by the crown prince Buyeo Pong, he behaved very submissively after entering the Tang Dynasty, often regarded himself as a Tang person, and was able to enter the Zhenguan Academy as a student.

When the Guanlong Rebellion broke out, the academy was razed to the ground and students were forced to suspend their studies. Many people were then assigned to various positions by the court.

Fu Yulong, who joined the navy, performed well and was entrusted with an important task. He traveled across the ocean to Moxun Port as a garrison lieutenant and was responsible for building a new port...

Yang Zhou did not dare to be arrogant. Although this man was from Baekje, since he had studied in the academy and was now entrusted with an important task, it was obvious that he must be a direct descendant of Fang Jun and had a promising future. He quickly stepped forward and supported Buyeo Long's shoulders and pulled him up, laughing and saying, "Captain Buyeo has opened up new territories and built new ports for the country. He has not only made great contributions to the navy, but also to the country. I admire young heroes like you the most, so I should get closer to you. No need to be polite!"

The young captain in front of him looked like he had dark skin with a sun-burned luster, his body was muscular and strong, and he looked heroic and energetic, which made people feel very fond of him.

Moreover, at such a young age, he was awarded the rank of "Zhaowu Cavalry Captain" and was in charge of the construction of a naval base thousands of miles away. His own ability and future prospects are worthy of attention.

The two men got off the ship one after another. The warship entered the port to repair the leaking hull and remove barnacles, oysters and other organisms attached to the bottom of the ship due to the long voyage. At the same time, fresh water and food were replenished, and the sick sailors received treatment.

In a house built of huge stones not far from the pier, Yang Zhou looked around curiously. This kind of typical megalithic building with Arab and Persian style was definitely not seen in the East and was very novel.

Fu Yulong smiled and said, "Whether it is the Arab Empire or the Persian Empire, most of them lack tall trees and can only use stones as building materials. They also lack skilled craftsmen, so the carvings are mostly simple and clear, and crudely made. Moreover, these stone houses are extremely uncomfortable to live in because they are cold in winter and hot in summer. However, there is one advantage. Once built, they can be preserved for a long time. They are not afraid of disasters such as water and fire, and they are not afraid of being eaten by insects and rats. Unless there is an earthquake, they will not be damaged for hundreds of years."

Yang Zhou agreed: "The Hu people are so crude and vulgar that even their living conditions are so poor."

Even though Chinese brick and wood houses have many disadvantages, the only thing they are comfortable to live in is enough to beat stone houses. When it comes to enjoyment, no one in the world can match China...

The two sat down at a table. Fu Yulong held the kettle and poured tea. Yang Zhou said, "Tell me, what happened? The battle report is vague, and the commander-in-chief's order is urgent, so I dare not ask more. I can only make a decision after arriving here and hearing the details."

Fu Yulong put down the teapot and said, "In fact, the matter is not complicated. After Muawiyah ascended the throne, not all people in the Arab Empire submitted. Various forces continued to fight and struggle. Under such circumstances, Muawiyah planned to launch a foreign war to eliminate internal disputes. He aimed his spearhead at the Eastern Roman Empire... Uh, General, you know the Eastern Roman Empire, right?"

Yang Zhou nodded. The voyage here was boring, and he read a lot of books about the Arab Empire, Persia, and the more distant Roman Empire. "I have heard a little bit about it."

Fu Yulong continued, "When Muawiyah was the governor of Damascus, he launched a war to invade the Western Regions. It was the Duke of Yue who came all the way to help and defeated the Arab army. Muawiyah had no time to retaliate and rode home to fight for the position of Caliph. After he came to power, although he still hated the Tang Dynasty, he was also wary of it, so he chose to use troops against the Eastern Roman Empire instead of continuing to invade the Western Regions... However, the war between the two great powers was naturally very costly, and Muawiyah issued orders to the governors stationed in various places in the country to increase taxes and collect supplies in preparation for the upcoming war."

As he spoke, he took a map from the bookcase beside him and spread it on the table. He pointed from the entrance of the Persian Gulf, Mexun Port, Hormuz, all the way along the Gulf to the location of Shiraf Port, and then from Mexun Port along the southern line all the way south to the junction of the Red Sea and the ocean. He said: "The Arabs levied heavy taxes and levied heavy taxes. Merchants from various countries fled. Most of them no longer entered the Persian Gulf to trade at Shiraf Port, but went south to Sanlan and sold the goods they brought to local merchants. Although the value is much cheaper, it is safe and profitable. If we can buy some spices from Sanlan and sell them to India, we can make more money."

Yang Zhou understood what Fu Yulong meant. A new trading port had gradually taken shape. Although it was impossible to replace the trade volume of the Persian Gulf, a huge increase in trade volume in the short term was inevitable.

However, when he looked at the position of "Sanlan", he suddenly remembered something...

"It is said that our navy has been secretly supporting an armed force roaming in the mountains south of Mecca..."

Fu Yulong smiled and said, "Yes, it is Hussein, the son of the Caliph Ali of the Arab Empire. After Ali's sudden death, Muawiyah succeeded him as Caliph. Hussein went into exile and has been wandering in the mountains of Mount Serat with our support."

This is the highest level of secret in the navy. Yang Zhou is qualified to have access to it. Fu Yulong came to Moxun Port as a captain and personally presided over the funding for Hussein, so he was qualified to know the details.

Yang Zhou drank a sip of tea, looked at the map and asked, "Any suggestions?"

Fu Yulong said solemnly: "The Tang Dynasty is the most powerful country in the world. We will never allow the people of the Tang Dynasty to be plundered and slaughtered overseas. Since the Governor of Shiraf Port, Abu Awar, has dared the world to disapprove, he must pay the price for his actions. The general can inform the Caliph of the Arab Empire to either send Abu Awar's head to commemorate the dead people of the Tang Dynasty, or wait for the Tang Dynasty navy to raze Shiraf Port to the ground."

Yang Zhou started laughing.

The Tang Dynasty's army had been victorious in every battle since its founding, which inevitably gave rise to a domineering temperament of "I am the only one in the world who is supreme". The navy had been traversing the oceans and destroying countless countries since the moment Fang Jun formed the army. Normally, they uphold the identity of the so-called "people's soldiers" and wear a mask of gentleness and discipline, but once provoked, all the masks are torn to reveal their fierce and domineering nature.

A mere naval captain actually dared to make such domineering remarks to one of the most powerful countries in the world.

Fu Yulong was puzzled and asked humbly, "But what's wrong? I am not very knowledgeable and I don't think things through. I hope you can correct me if I find any shortcomings."

"Correction? There is nothing to correct. As you said, since they dare to massacre the people of the Tang Dynasty and block the Tang Dynasty's trade routes, they must pay the price, no matter whether they are the Arab Empire or the Eastern Roman Empire! It's just that it's a bit slow. If you want to notify the Caliph of the Arab Empire, you have to go to Damascus. This place is thousands of miles away from Damascus. It's tiring to travel by land and sea. I'm afraid it will take at least half a year to get back. By then, the port of Shirov will have been prepared for the battle. Wouldn't it be a waste of the opportunity? The notice must be sent out, but there is no need to wait for the response of the Arab Empire. After the fleet has rested, it will enter the Persian Gulf and approach the port of Shirov. Find an opportunity to bombard the port and land to fight when necessary!"

"Ah? This, this, this, isn't this a bit inappropriate? This is provoking a border conflict without authorization. Once those imperial censors in the court find out, it will be disastrous!"

"What do you mean by provoking a conflict? Didn't you hear me say 'look for' an opportunity?"

Fu Yulong was confused and puzzled.