As the front line of Europe against powerful enemies in the East, Constantinople guarded the throat of Eurasia and was impregnable.
It was because of its existence that the small lords in the West were able to live peacefully and safely in their rural areas.
But now Rome isn't having it, the emperor of Constantinople isn't having it.
Peace has been reached!
When this news reached Rome, it enraged the Pope and the cardinals so much that they wanted to smash people with crucifixes.
Rome is the legitimate inheritor of European and Roman civilization, not some Western European believer who spends all his time studying the Bible.
Constantinople not only boasts numerous libraries housing vast collections of ancient Greek and Roman books, but also various materials on handicrafts, medicine, and philosophy.
It was exactly like the Song Dynasty, a civilized society.
And what is Europa doing now?
Playing in the mud in the countryside, believing in the eternity of God.
The Vatican's charlatans destroyed all the books.
In this era, it was impossible for the Ottomans to conquer Constantinople several hundred years later, and it was even less likely that a large number of doctors, scholars, and artists from Constantinople would flee to Western Europe.
If these things hadn't happened, Italy would never have experienced the Renaissance.
In response to the Roman emperor's letter, Yue Fei gave a very sensible reply: "The Great Song has always been a friendly nation. I have already presented your country's intentions to His Majesty the Holy Emperor of the Great Song, awaiting His Majesty's discerning judgment."
Whether a true peace agreement can be reached depends on Zhao Huan's instructions.
However, the deal between the two parties could proceed with a blind eye.
Starting in the twelfth year of the Jingkang era, a large number of Song Dynasty citizens began to do business along the Silk Road.
A large number of popular books about the Silk Road also appeared among the people, and the knowledge in these books even originated from the time of Zhang Qian in the Western Han Dynasty.
Large quantities of cloth and silk were transported along the Silk Road to the Seven Rivers, Transoxiana, Mesopotamia, Baghdad, Mosul, and even Jerusalem.
They marched westward and appeared in Constantinople.
Even the Roman emperor secretly had someone buy a bolt of silk and praised it highly, saying: "This is simply a gift from God to the world."
In March of the twentieth year of the Jingkang era, Zhao Huan received a memorial from Yue Fei.
Ha, the Eastern Roman Empire is going to negotiate peace?
Isn't this just buying out the Vatican?
Zhao Huan was overjoyed, and the next step was cultural integration.
All the great Confucian scholars of the Song Dynasty should be sent out.
Those who don't want to go out, just throw money at them.
The four great academies of the Song Dynasty all produced outstanding individuals.
At first, of course, everyone was unwilling. As orthodox Confucian scholars who studied the classics of the sages, who would want to go to such a barbaric place?
Zhao Huan waved his sleeve and said: "Give me the money! One person will receive 3 million guan (a unit of currency) upfront, and the remaining guan will be paid after ten years!"
Your Majesty! As subjects of the Great Song Dynasty, the court now needs us, and we should step forward to share Your Majesty's burdens!
Thus, in the twentieth year of the Jingkang era, the great Confucian scholars of the Song Dynasty set off in a grand procession, heading west along the Silk Road.
First, all four protectorates began to run schools, and the courses taught were almost entirely Confucianism from the Song Dynasty.
Secondly, a large number of paper money (Jiaozi) flowed into the West.
Merchants from the Song Dynasty began to buy up fertile land in various places, first controlling the grain supply, and then taking over the banking business.
Subsequently, it was stipulated that transactions must be conducted using Jiaozi (paper money), and it was also stipulated that taxes must be paid using Jiaozi.
The Great Song Merchants controlled the grain supply, and people had to buy grain from them. They refused to accept anything other than paper money (jiaozi).
The twentieth year of the Jingkang era.
The Roman envoy arrived in Tokyo, met with Zhao Huan, and presented the Roman emperor's letter of credence.
The Roman emperor was willing to establish a marriage alliance and even offered his daughter as a gift, along with some blonde, blue-eyed beauties.
The Roman envoys were dazzled from the moment they entered the Jade Gate Pass, and what they saw along the way after entering the Hetao region was something they would never forget.
When they entered Tokyo, they were almost so overwhelmed by its prosperity that their legs went weak.
The Roman princess was initially reluctant, feeling that marrying far away to the East and leaving behind the prosperous Constantinople, she wondered how she would manage in the future.
But when she arrived in the Song Dynasty, she was already stunned.
Gaochang, located outside Yumen Pass, was already more prosperous than Constantinople, and they almost thought it was the kingdom of some great power.
As a result, once inside the pass, each city became more prosperous than the last.
Silk and ceramics, which they usually treasure, are readily available everywhere.
People walk politely on the street, and when they see acquaintances, they smile and greet them politely.
They also saw scholars with flowing sleeves and elegant women dressed in clean colors flirting with their lovers on the street.
I saw people sitting and reading, and I saw bookstores along the roadside, as well as restaurants and snack stalls that were always nearby.
Upon entering Tokyo, I saw giant merchant ships moored along the Bian River, with large boxes of goods being transported aboard.
Cherry blossom trees are neatly planted along the roadside, and when the wind blows, they fill the capital with fragrance.
The ground is a cement road, wide and clean, with cars occasionally passing by.
They were all very envious of these things.
Especially after the Roman princess entered the palace, she felt that this was the real palace, and that the palace in Constantinople was nothing like a palace.
Zhao Huan met with the Roman envoy in the court.
The ministers of the Song Dynasty sat on both sides. The grand palace and the magnificent royal layout made the Roman envoy sigh in admiration.
"Your Majesty the Holy Martial Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, my name is Lexi, and I am an envoy of the Lord of Rome."
Before entering the Song Dynasty, the envoys specifically studied the etiquette of the Song Dynasty.
Knowing that one should never use the title "Roman Emperor" in front of the emperor, in the Song Dynasty's etiquette, there could only be one emperor in the world. If you say that the King of Rome is also an emperor, does that mean you can sit on equal footing with the Emperor of the Song Dynasty?
Therefore, a more appropriate title for the ruler was used.
"On behalf of our king, I extend my greetings to His Majesty the Holy Emperor and present our treasures, as well as the princess who has come to visit our country."
This is a beautiful princess with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a long, pure white silk robe, adorned with exquisite and elegant jewelry, and with skin as white as snow.
"Greetings to His Majesty the Holy Emperor, may you be well."
She said in broken Chinese that she started learning Chinese last year and can now communicate normally.
She looked nervously at the emperor above, her future husband.
Zhao Huan sat there, looking at the Roman envoy and the Roman princess, feeling an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.
"I am at peace."
Zhao Huan said, "The Great Song is a land of propriety. Your country is willing to make peace, and the Great Song accepts your peace. Please tell your king that the Roman Catholic Church does not respect Confucian sages, and I must punish them."
"Your subject will certainly convey this to the King."
In the twenty-first year of the Jingkang era, Qin Hui, the military commissioner of Hezhong, was ordered to travel west to Constantinople.
The Roman emperor welcomed the envoy from the Song Dynasty with the highest honors.
"Your Majesty, the Pope is unwilling to venerate Confucius. The Grand Marshal has already amassed 100,000 troops. Please send 100,000 troops as well. His Majesty the Holy Emperor's intention is that Rome should change hands."
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