"Five hundred dan … In addition, I also need your hybrid rice from Jiaozhi!"
The five hundred dan of grain was secondary, but the High Priest's final words caused Wang Chong to reveal a look of shock.
Hybrid rice was Wang Chong's secret project in Jiaozhi, and it was also the most important part of Wang Chong's overall plan. Wang Chong had kept this information under tight wraps, and not even some of the important officials of the court knew of it. Wang Chong had never imagined that the Sindhi High Priest would know of the existence of hybrid rice.
"Impossible!"
Without much thought, Wang Chong immediately rejected the Sindhi High Priest's request.
"Other than the Tang Dynasty, hybrid rice will never be allowed to enter any other country."
Whether one was selfish or heartless, to Wang Chong, hybrid rice was an untouchable benefit. Before the Tang Dynasty could enjoy this benefit, no other country could enjoy it first. Not only that, Sindhu was adjacent to Arabia. Once the hybrid rice entered Sindhu, it would be entering Arabia. The Arabian Empire could even enslave all the Sindhi and have them grow hybrid rice.
The moment they discovered this potential profit, the Arabs would do so without hesitation. Wang Chong could not tolerate this sort of act of aiding the enemy!
"Buzz!"
Wang Chong's words immediately plunged the hall into a deathly silence. Ablonodan and Arloja also had awkward expressions. Wang Chong was truly extremely kind to Sindhu. At the very least, Sindhu had never received such treatment from the Arabs. The price of a jun of Hyderabad ore had risen from three hundred taels to one thousand seven hundred taels. This was all because of Wang Chong. Anyone else would have never done such a thing.
In their hearts, Wang Chong was a true friend, but the High Priest's actions made it seem like he was using this opportunity to blackmail him, which was rather shameful.
"Haha, it's fine if you don't agree."
To their surprise, the High Priest faintly smiled, not bothering about this matter.
"However, I hope that the Young Marquis can provide us with an additional five million dan of grain!"
In the last sentence, the High Priestess revealed her true motive. From the beginning to the end, the High Priest had never thought of getting the hybrid rice from Wang Chong. Such an important thing involved the entire Tang dynasty. It was impossible to give it to an outsider so easily.
From the beginning to the end, the High Priest only had one goal, and that was food.
"Sure!"
Wang Chong said straightforwardly without the slightest hesitation.
From the very start, Wang Chong knew that the High Priest's ambition did not lie in this. Instead, it lay in the food that could nourish all of Sindhu. From the moment he had crossed from Khorasan to the moment he entered the mines of Hyderabad in Sindhu, Wang Chong had seen far too many starving corpses.
The poverty, backwardness, and famine of Sindhu were far worse than what Wang Chong knew.
Compared to the rations that Sindhu needed, gold and silver seemed insignificant.
"… However, I can't give you the hybrid rice. However, if the High Priest only wishes to help the Sindhis survive, perhaps I can help by bringing a certain number of Sindhis into the territory of the Tang dynasty. Although it's not enough to make us rich and powerful, we definitely won't starve to death! "
Wang Chong said after a moment of silence.
At that moment, the High Priest was finally moved.
"Young Marquis, thank you."
The Tang dynasty was famous for its affluence. No one knew better than the High Priest that if he could get the help of Wang Chong and the Tang dynasty, it would be something that no amount of gold or silver could replace. Just this alone would save countless lives in Sindhu every year.
"… I thank you on behalf of all the Sindhis. Ablonodan, Arloja, I'll leave the matter of the ore to you. Starting from now, we will sever our ore business with Charax Spasinu, Abbasid Caliphate, and all the other countries. All the ore will be supplied to the Tang dynasty. In addition, each jun of Hyderabad ore won't cost one thousand and seven hundred taels of gold. Let's do as Marquis said, one thousand five hundred taels of gold per jun."
Buzz!
Hearing the High Priest's words, the crowd behind Wang Chong grew excited. Their goal in this trip had been the Hyderabad ore. Now that the Sindhu High Priest had cut off all supplies and focused on mining for the Tang dynasty, this was much better than they had expected.
"Many thanks, High Priest."
A smile appeared on Wang Chong's face. After a pause, Wang Chong suddenly took out a folded piece of paper.
"In addition, Wang Chong has another matter that he would like to consult the High Priest on."
The matter of the Hyderabad ore had been resolved, and with the High Priest's words, the matter was set in stone. But to Wang Chong, there was another matter that was even more important than the Hyderabad ore. Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Chong unfurled the folded paper and revealed its contents.
"Buzz!"
Upon seeing that mysterious black eye on the paper, the composed Sindhu High Priest suddenly trembled and took several steps back, his face paling.
"How do you know of this thing!"
The High Priest's eyes were brimming with shock.
"So the High Priest also recognizes this."
Wang Chong suddenly stepped forward, his expression turning grave. Bahram was correct. The Sindhu High Priest truly did know many secrets.
"You still haven't told me where you learned of this mark."
The High Priest raised his head and gravely looked at Wang Chong, his face devoid of its previous composure and ease.
Without hesitation, Wang Chong immediately explained the matter of the Elam Dynasty and the Book of Paimon.
"So the High Priest truly does know some of the Elam Dynasty's secrets?"
Wang Chong asked.
"You overestimate me!"
The Sindhu High Priest bitterly smiled, but he quickly understood.
"Bahram is correct, but there is one thing. I am not the person who can answer your question."
"Ah?!"
Wang Chong was dumbfounded.
"Young Marquis, have you not realized? I'm not a person who has lived for two hundred years. "
The High Priest bitterly smiled.
Wang Chong's brows began to rise as he felt an indescribable sensation. At this moment, countless thoughts flew through his mind. He seemed to understand something, but he also seemed to understand nothing.
"The High Priest that Bahram spoke of isn't me. There is only one true High Priest. In Sindhu, although I am also called the High Priest, everyone understands that I am only a substitute High Priest. I can't answer your question. I can't even tell him about your request. "
The High Priest said.
Everyone in the hall glanced at each other, and Wang Chong's heart chilled.
He finally understood why Bahram had felt that something was off when he mentioned the Sindhu High Priest. As it turned out, the Sindhu High Priest he knew and the one Bahram spoke of were completely different people. There was actually another High Priest in Sindhu, and Wang Chong had never heard of him, whether in his last life or now.
The clear situation suddenly became shrouded in fog. If not even the Sindhu 'High Priest' could contact that person, he was likely to return empty-handed.
He had believed that he would be able to find some information about the calamity, but it now appeared that his hopes had all come to naught.
"Do none of you know his true location?"
Wang Chong unwillingly said.
"It's useless. We can't even contact Venerable Him. Only he can contact us. Each time, the substitute High Priest is chosen by Venerable Him, and after that, there has been no news from him. The High Priest's ascetic cultivation has probably surpassed all records and our imaginations. Unless Venerable Him wants to see you, there's nothing anyone can do, "the High Priest sternly said.
The High Priest grimaced at these words, and even Wang Chong raised his eyebrows.
If even someone of the High Priest's status was unable to find him, didn't that mean that there was no hope for him to find him? "But although none of us know where Venerable Him is, there is one thing that we can be sure of. He practices ascetic cultivation in the Hyderabad Mountains.
"However, although none of us know where the High Priest is, there is one thing that we can be sure of. The place where he practices asceticism must be in the Hyderabad Mountain Range. If Marquis stays here long enough, he might be summoned by him. It's not impossible. "
Just as Wang Chong found it hard to conceal the shock in his eyes, the High Priest suddenly spoke.
"Thank you, Priestess!"
Wang Chong bowed slightly. The true Sindhu High Priest's movements were mysterious and unfathomable. Although Wang Chong was disappointed, he could only accept this. Just as the High Priest had said, he could only try his luck.
"Arloja, Ablonodan, it's rare for the Young Marquis to come to our Sindhu. You are old friends with the Young Marquis, so help me take good care of them!"
After chatting for a while in the hall, the High Priest suddenly said to Arloja and Ablonov beside him.
"Yes!"
Arloja and Ablonodan bowed, knowing that the High Priest was about to rest. No matter who the guest was, the High Priest rarely received them for long. For him to receive Wang Chong for so long was already unprecedented.
"Then Wang Chong will take his leave!"
Wang Chong bowed, turned, and left with Arloja and Ablonodan.
But as he turned, his gaze inadvertently passed over the High Priest's right eye, and Wang Chong's heart thumped. His lips moved, but he said nothing and quickly walked out.
"Venerables, the High Priest's right eye …"
Once they were out of the hall, Wang Chong finally couldn't help but ask.
"Marquis has already noticed …"
Both of them were slightly shaken. Arloja, who was by their side, even sighed softly and sighed with emotion.
"The High Priest's right eye truly is blind. That eye is fake."
The two sighed as they spoke of the past.
"Oh, how could it be like this?"
Wang Chong frowned.
"It's a long story, but it happened ten-some years ago. At the time, a group of people invaded the mine. They were masked and dressed in black, and their attacks were extremely vicious. The High Priest did his best to resist, but in the end, he was still blinded in one eye."
"For the Hyderabad ore?"
Wang Chong said in surprise.
"I don't know."
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