Zhenguan Xiaoxian Wang Li Shen Li Shimin

(The chapters are mixed up, please read according to the chapter number.)

What Wang Hongfu considered was not wrong, and even Wang Xuance agreed with it.

At present, if we really want to deal with the Arab Empire, supporting the Hashim family is the best way.

But to support the Hashemite family, one has to spend money and even manpower.

It was difficult for King Ji to benefit from it.

The Hashemite family is not weak now, it is just currently accumulating strength for development.

Looking at the expressions of his two generals, Li Shen knew what they were thinking.

I can only explain helplessly:

"You are wrong. In fact, it doesn't take us that long to reach the Kingdom of the Arabs."

"My lord, what do you mean?"

Wang Xuance was a little puzzled, as this was something that had been confirmed by many merchants who had traveled to the Western Regions.

At this time, Wang Hongfu on the side suddenly asked tentatively:

"Your Highness, do you mean by sea transportation? But it takes more than a year to ship by sea round trip."

It is impossible to go to the Western Regions by land, and only sailing by sea is faster than walking.

As a business tycoon, Wang Hongfu was very familiar with both the north and south routes to the Western Regions.

Many merchants from the Arabs and Indians came to the Tang Dynasty by sea.

They passed through the Strait of Malacca and arrived directly at the port of Guangzhou, and then headed north to Chang'an.

"Yes, it is sea transportation, but it doesn't take us that long. I estimate that it may take less than a year for the round trip."

Li Shen slapped his thigh. A business tycoon is a business tycoon, and his reputation is well-deserved. As soon as he brought it up, Wang Hongfu guessed his intention.

"We can reach the Kingdom of Daqin directly by sea, which is much faster than taking the land route."

This is the solution Li Shen came up with.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for being blunt. Your idea is good, but I'm afraid... it will be difficult to realize."

Wang Hongfu said frankly.

"Why? I heard that it only takes more than seven months to reach the capital of the Arab Empire from Guangzhou all the way west, and this is not the fastest."

Li Shen asked doubtfully.

"Your Majesty, you are right. It does take more than seven months to get there one way, and a round trip would take a year and a half or even longer.

This sea trip is not possible at any time. "

"By the way, since you know more than me, then you want to tell me about the merchants going out to sea."

Li Shen really doesn't know anything about going out to sea. Whether in his previous life or now, he has a fatal weakness: seasickness.

Wang Hongfu knew at a glance that Prince Ji didn't understand and was just asking about the voyage time, so he explained with a smile:

"Your Highness, you may not know that this sea route is called the Guangzhou-Tonghaiyi Road by merchants.

Many big merchants choose sea transportation because it can carry more goods, is faster, and is safer.

There are too many barbarian countries to pass through by land, and passing through them is a difficult and troublesome matter.

If you bring a lot of goods, it will easily attract the covetousness of some greedy local forces.

For sea routes, there is no need to consider issues such as customs clearance, except for encountering strong winds and waves and bad weather.

Those are the pirates, but merchants go out to sea in groups, especially our Tang merchants,

The Tang Dynasty's ships were heavy and sturdy, larger than those of other countries, and could carry more people.

They traveled in large groups, and ordinary pirates did not dare to rob the Tang Dynasty’s fleet.

There are also many national ports along the way that can be used for docking to avoid suspicion. If you encounter strong winds and waves, you can temporarily dock at the port to avoid suspicion.

It will be fast.”

"Yes, that's what I meant by fast speed."

Li Shen couldn't help but interrupt after hearing this.

"Your Majesty, the one-way trip is indeed fast, but the round trip will take about a year and a half."

Wang Hongfu emphasized.

“No, it won’t take us that long, our large clipper ships will be there in four months at most.

Don't forget, our clipper ships are not only large, but also nearly twice as fast as ordinary Tang Dynasty ships.

We are willing to come back in eight or nine months.”

Li Shen said confidently. After all, the speed of the clipper ship was famous. After years of improvement by craftsmen, the ship was improved by combining the advantages of the ships of the Tang Dynasty and other countries.

There have been great improvements in both speed and other aspects.

This is also Li Shen’s trump card to dominate the ocean.

Li Shimin asked for the blueprint of the clipper ship several times, but Li Shen refused to give it to him. The reason was simple. Li Shimin wanted to build a clipper ship to attack the three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla.

But Li Shen said that as long as it was built, the ship would no longer be a secret, and by then the noble families and even wealthy businessmen would get the drawings.

This poses a great threat to the Tang Dynasty's maritime power.

In the end, Li Shimin had no choice but to build Tang's own warships.

When Wang Hongfu saw Li Shen's smug look, he didn't want to say anything, but in the end he had no choice but to pour a bucket of cold water on him.

"Your Majesty, even if we arrive in four months, it will still take us a year and a half to come back."

"What do you mean? Are they going to stay there for a while? Even if they are purchasing goods, they won't have to stay for several months, right?"

Wang Hongfu said that the round trip would take more than a year, which made Li Shen a little confused.

Four months, that is, March or April, to reach the Arab world. Even if it takes more time on the road, one month is enough.

The round trip only took ten months, which was nearly half the time compared to a year and a half.

Why does it take another year and a half?

"It's not that they don't want to come back, but there is a specific time for them to come back." Wang Hongfu continued to explain:

"Your Majesty, the speed of sailing on the sea depends on whether there is a tailwind or a headwind.

Starting from November every year, the sea wind blows from the north to the east. This is the time when merchants go out to sea. They will take advantage of the favorable wind to set out from Guangzhou to Srivijaya, and then from Srivijaya to India.

Going all the way westward to Daqin, if the speed is fast, it will take less than seven months to send from Guangzhou to Daqin.

When returning, they had to wait until August to September from Daqin and use the southwest wind to return to Guangzhou.

So there was a few months of pause in between.”

"Monsoon season!"

After hearing what Wang Hongfu said, Li Shen finally understood the reason. It turned out that the ancients also knew about the monsoon period.

Li Shen had basically never been to sea, and had no knowledge of advanced geography.

However, he had heard of the monsoon season and ocean currents at sea.

Although I don't remember what it meant or when it happened.

But according to the palace, the monsoon period in the South China Sea begins in November when winter comes.

It's the monsoon season, when the ocean currents flow westward.

It is convenient to sail because the wind and water are favorable.

"Monsoon season? Your Highness is referring to the trade winds, right?"

Wang Hongfu asked.

"Trade winds? Is this change called trade winds?"

Li Shen was surprised. It turns out that this monsoon period already has a name?

(I have consulted a lot of information, and according to a professor from the University of Hong Kong, based on the Arabian voyage travelogue,

At that time, by utilizing ocean currents and monsoons, it took the Arabs eighteen months to travel to and from the Tang Dynasty, and nine months for one way.

There are records that if you depart from Guangzhou from October to December, you can reach the Arabian Peninsula from February to March.

I also found a record that during the Song Dynasty, merchants from the Arabian Peninsula crossed the Indian Ocean in June, arrived in the Maldives for repairs, and then returned to Guangzhou. The entire journey took only about 40 days.

I consulted the French translation of "Huanghua Sidaji", "Tang Huiyao", "New Tang Book·Geography", "Song History·Cengdan Kingdom", "China and India Records", and "History of China-Arabia Maritime Transport".

I'm not saying this to make you believe me, I'm just showing off, thank you.)