Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

The so-called prosperous era promoted by Confucianism is generally described in a broad sense as a time of peace, prosperity, and harmonious society.

It seems that people from the Central Plains generally feel that each other are law-abiding citizens.

If you don't provoke me, I'll be happy not to provoke you either.

But these high-ranking officials in the court never considered that when the court had too much money left over and its military strength was strong, the first warmongers to clamor for "all land under heaven belongs to the king" would not be those military generals.

Nation that leaves a glorious mark on history is never lacking in a spirit of adventure.

Mecca, Arabia.

Islam, which had been established for decades, under the leadership of Muhammad, occupied and designated the area as a holy site after several major wars with the Meccan nobility and various tribes.

When the Great Tang Dynasty's Star, Sun, and Moon Flag appeared here, it immediately attracted the attention of the Mecca leadership.

Muhammad, who is over sixty years old, has skin that bears the marks of wind, sand and scorching sun, but his bright eyes and the leader's aura that only legends can possess are still remarkable.

Whatever he casually says is now regarded as gospel by Muslims of this era.

Inside the mosque, Muhammad listened to the information presented by the Arabic translator before him.

Upon hearing that these yellow-skinned, black-haired, and black-eyed people were citizens of the powerful Tang Dynasty, the supporters of the Sassanid Persians, a look of importance flashed in his eyes.

however.

The members of the merchant caravan from Longyou Road of the Great Tang Dynasty, whom they were now carefully dealing with, were exchanging glances, their subtle attention mostly focused on the few figures inside the hall.

"A Kunlun slave? It's actually a Kunlun slave? Didn't that guy Lavaha say this was their holy land? How could they let a Kunlun slave in? He seems to be in charge?"

Li Ming, a member of the Longyou Li Clan Chamber of Commerce and a relative of Li Xuanyun, who was serving as the Prefect of Shanzhou in Longyou Circuit of the Great Tang Dynasty and assisting in the management of Qinghai City and Chishui City, gave his nephews a look, signaling them to calm down.

They were after money, and didn't care about the intricacies of these foreigners.

After the caravan's translator, Lavaha, introduced everyone's identities and purposes.

Muhammad nodded slightly.

"I have heard of the power and wealth of the Tang Dynasty. Although it is regrettable that your Crown Prince rejected our alliance proposal, everything is fair in Mecca, and the exchange of money and goods is our custom here... I can take a look at the goods you brought this time."

Inside the temple, as Muhammad spoke, the others bowed and paid their respects, all appearing extremely devout and reverent.

Li Ming also knew that the other party seemed to be a prophet of this sect.

And according to the rules here, the status of a king seems to be lower than that of this prophet... How absurd.

Li Ming returned the courtesy from the Tang Dynasty with a bow.

Then he directed his nephews to open the boxes that had been brought into the hall.

The first thing that catches the eye is silk, the most exported product of the Tang Dynasty and the most favored by nobles of the Western Regions, the Tibetan Plateau, and the Turkic peoples.

A piece of purple silk, shimmering with an air of nobility under the sunlight, was unfurled by Li Ming's two nephews and came into view.

"hiss......"

Then came another gasp of cold air, which vanished in an instant.

Islamic teachings encourage believers to maintain simplicity, promote spiritual goodness and salvation, and while they may admire beautiful worldly things, they should not aspire to them.

This can be roughly discerned from the fact that all the believers around were dressed in white robes and headscarves.

This magnificent silk, made by the Imperial Embroidery and Textile Bureau of Jingchuan County in Guannei Circuit of the Great Tang Dynasty, was worth a hundred taels of gold even in the Tang Dynasty. It was not only beautiful from afar, but also so beautiful up close that it was worthy of being regarded as a divine object.

The intricate embroidery and the exquisite patterns and bird paintings on the silk make it seem beyond description as "fabric," and even beyond what can be used to make clothing.

This is a work of art; even if it were clothing, it should absolutely not be worn by ordinary people.

It should be draped over the statue of a god!

Among the Muslims present, many couldn't help but look at each other strangely, their expressions complex.

Some people even seemed to be trying their best to restrain themselves from looking at it.

Seeing everyone's reactions, Li Ming's two nephews were unsure whether they liked it or not.

Li Ming didn't speak, but gestured for someone to take out two smooth and bright glass mirrors and a comb made of whale bone, inlaid with gemstones and engraved with gold thread patterns, from a box.

Then came a series of lacquer jewelry boxes, clearly intended for women.

Two finely crafted steel scimitars that clearly exhibit Turkic style...

Li Ming brought quite a lot of things this time, clearly intending to make a fortune, and the items he brought out became increasingly exquisite and luxurious.

Those who had initially been able to maintain their composure finally began to show obvious signs of wavering.

Back then, they fought several great battles with the Meccan nobles and defeated those despicable nobles, exposing to the public that those guys were using the idols in the 300 dark houses to deceive believers and amass wealth.

The gold and silver coins I saw, as well as the wine vessels, statues of gods, and other extravagant items.

Compared to what these Tang Dynasty people have brought out, it's like comparing sand to gems—a world of difference.

If the sight of gold and silver evoked first thoughts of filthy words like "extravagance," "greed," "exploitation," and "infidelity," then these goods from the Tang Dynasty before them were a different story.

My first thought for them was "beauty".

Deep down, they seemed to have already associated these things with the gods in an inappropriate way.

Muhammad observed the reactions of the crowd.

A hint of seriousness flashed in his eyes.

As a legend, he transformed Islam, which originally had only a dozen or so followers, into an entity that unified the Arabian Peninsula in just a decade or two.

He possesses the crisis sense that all leaders have.

He could tell that these Tang Dynasty merchants meant no harm. They were just like the Arab merchants who traveled all over the world, seeking only the wealth that trade brought them.

However... the goods they bring, along with the culture and heritage they embody, pose a significant challenge to Islam, which is still in its infancy and can only be described as a seedling.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him but not daring to, wanting to go forward and touch him but trying their best to restrain themselves, they stood still, whispering to each other, with solemn expressions.

Li Ming was also unsure of what the other party was thinking.

What does it mean?

Trying to double-cross someone? Doesn't seem like it...

He glanced at the Arabic translator, Ravaha, who also looked somewhat bewildered. He hadn't been back to Arabia for several years, and his acquaintance with Li Ming and the others, as well as his employment, were all in Xizhou County of the Tang Dynasty.

He knew about Islam, but he didn't know much about it.

Seeing this, Li Ming had no choice but to give the caravan members a meaningful look.

Several more wooden crates were opened, but what was taken out of them left the Muslims present, including Muhammad, somewhat bewildered.

Those were all square-shaped creations.

It seemed to be much more valuable than the previous items, and even the people from the Tang Dynasty handled it with great care.

Then, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the members of the caravan began to combine and assemble these creations...

Finally, a beautiful clock, about half a person's height, appeared.

Li Ming smiled and began to introduce the topic.

"This is the most popular treasure in our Tang Dynasty. It not only records time, but also brings good fortune..."

He recited the promotional phrases he had prepared beforehand, phrases that had been used in newspaper advertisements.

Lavaha translated.

Li Ming stepped forward and personally adjusted the time in front of everyone, as the mechanical sound of clicking came from it.

Amidst a chorus of astonished gazes, the hands inside the clock began to move slowly.

Round and round...

When Ravaha translated Li Ming's views on clocks, even a legendary figure like Muhammad, who could remain calm even in the face of a collapsing mountain, couldn't help but show a shocked expression.

With the help of someone beside him, he slowly got up.

Standing before the clock, the exquisitely crafted clock face, showcasing the pinnacle of carving and lacquerware techniques, did not pique his interest much. However, through a layer of bright glass, he could vaguely discern some of the mechanical structure.

However, it had a significant impact on his heart.

After looking at it for a long time, he finally pondered and asked the question that Li Ming and the others had been waiting for.

"How much wealth do you want to make with these goods?"

Without hesitation, Li Ming pointed to the clock ticking away in front of him and made an outrageous demand.

"This clock, even in our Great Tang Dynasty, can only be owned by the most noble and wealthy people. It can bring good luck to business and family. Therefore, we need gold of the same size as a transaction."

What the hell!

Li Ming's nephews, who had no idea about pricing, were shocked to hear their uncle's bold statement.

They couldn't help but gasp sharply.

The clock is half a person tall! It's made of gold of the same volume!

How much gold could that be converted into?!

Fortunately, they were busy rearranging the silk and did not attract the attention of the others.

Muhammad nodded slightly.

However, they did not express much dissatisfaction with the pricing.

Compared to the exquisite craftsmanship of this object, the gold and silver coins that are easily earned in the Arab world seem rather stingy.

He nodded slightly, but did not indicate that he directly agreed to the deal. Instead, he had someone arrange for Li Ming and the others to stay in Mecca.

That night.

The arrival of Li Ming and his Tang Dynasty merchant caravan, along with the exquisite goods they sold, caused quite a stir in the entire city of Mecca.

One after another, many more people came to inquire and admire.

In response, the caravan translator, Ravaha, who had been paid, diligently introduced the goods to everyone, highlighting the area as one of the holy sites for Muslims and an important trade route.

Despite its relatively scarce natural resources, Mecca is not lacking in wealthy people.

Li Ming was discussing something with the caravan's bodyguards when Lavaha rushed in.

"A very important person has arrived! A very important person!"

How important is he?

Li Ming was still wondering when he heard Lavaha say anxiously.

"They are Muhammad's sister and brother-in-law! Former nobles of Mecca, and leaders of the Quraysh tribe!"

Li Ming and the others exchanged bewildered glances.

Are these Meccan nobles still alive?

However, the reality is that these Meccan nobles, who once controlled 300 statues of gods for personal gain, eventually realized the situation and accepted Muhammad's claim that God is the only God.

Everything was preserved; in fact, not much wealth was lost...

Sufuyang, the chief of the Gulaishi tribe, looked at the exquisite Tang Dynasty goods in front of him with eyes full of shock and excitement.

He seemed to see a path to reclaim his glory...