SFS Chapter 406 Mysterious Encounter
Chapter 406 Mysterious Encounter
During their sweet honeymoon in the Western Regions, Chen Jia and Chen Jue fully enjoyed the magnificence and mystery of the desert. However, the unpredictable nature always catches people off guard. One day, they were riding camels leisurely, and the sky, which was originally as blue as a gem, was suddenly shrouded in a dim yellow. The wind was howling and sweeping, and the dust was flying all over the sky. A terrible sandstorm came without warning.
Chen Jue held Chen Jia's hand tightly and shouted, "My dear, don't be afraid! There is a valley ahead, let's go there to hide!" Although Chen Jia was terrified, she nodded vigorously at Chen Jue's determined eyes. The two of them moved forward with difficulty in the wind and sand. The strong wind carried the sand and dust, hitting their faces painfully. The camel seemed to sense the danger and neighed uneasily, but under Chen Jue's comfort, it still struggled to move towards the valley.
Finally, they hid in the valley. The valley was like a natural shelter, temporarily shielding them from the raging wind. Chen Jia panted heavily and said with lingering fear: "Husband, this sandstorm is too terrible. If it weren't for your quick reaction, we..." Chen Jue hugged Chen Jia tightly in his arms and gently comforted her: "My wife, it's okay, I'm here. Although the power of nature is great, we will definitely get through it safely."
The two took a short rest in the valley. When the momentum of the sandstorm gradually weakened, Chen Jia inadvertently looked into the distance and suddenly said in surprise: "Husband, look, that vast expanse of water, is it the legendary Lop Nur?" Chen Jue looked in the direction of Chen Jia's finger, and saw a vast expanse of water sparkling in the sunlight after the sand and dust had dispersed, revealing a mysterious and charming atmosphere.
"That should be it. I heard that Lop Nur is full of mystery, but I didn't expect that we would meet it here." Chen Jue said. The two of them walked towards Lop Nur with curiosity and awe.
When they approached Lop Nur, they found an ancient and mysterious ruins by the lake. Chen Jia said excitedly: "Husband, could this be the lost ancient kingdom of Jingjue?" Chen Jue carefully observed the surrounding architectural ruins and said: "It is very likely. These buildings have a unique style and a strong historical atmosphere."
Just as they were marveling at the mysterious ruins before them, a woman dressed in gorgeous clothes and with a noble temperament slowly approached. Her eyes were full of majesty and mystery, and she was followed by a group of attendants. Chen Jia and Chen Jue looked at each other in surprise, wondering if this was the legendary Queen of Jingjue.
The Queen of Jingjue walked up to them, looked them up and down, and said, "Where did you come from, strangers? How dare you trespass into the territory of my ancient country of Jingjue?" Chen Jue hurriedly stepped forward and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, we are a couple from the Central Plains. We came to the Western Regions for a trip and encountered a sandstorm on the way. We came here by accident. I did not mean to offend you. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
The Queen of Jingjue frowned slightly and said, "Central Plains? That's a faraway place. What are you doing in the Western Regions?" Chen Jia smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, we have been married for many years and have been busy with affairs. This time we came to the Western Regions to make up for our honeymoon and experience different customs and practices."
The Queen of Jingjue had a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes, and said, "Honeymoon trip? That's a fresh idea. It seems that the life of you people in the Central Plains is quite interesting." Chen Jue continued, "Your Majesty, we run some businesses in the Central Plains, and have traveled to many places and seen all kinds of customs. This time I came to the ancient country of Jingjue, and I deeply felt that it is full of mystery and charm. I think there must be unique business opportunities here."
The corners of the Queen's mouth slightly raised, and she said, "Oh? You have a unique vision for doing business. Although my ancient country of Jingjue is located in a remote area, it also has many precious products. It's just that there is no suitable trade route, so it's difficult to promote these products."
Chen Jia's eyes lit up and he said, "Your Majesty, we may be able to help you solve this problem. The Central Plains is vast and populous, and there is a great demand for all kinds of novel products. If we can establish a trade route and transport the specialties of the ancient country of Jingjue to the Central Plains, I believe there will be good profits."
The Queen of Jingjue thought for a moment and said, "Although what you said makes sense, it is not easy to establish a trade route. Not only do we have to cross the vast desert, but we also have to deal with various unknown dangers. Moreover, how to ensure the fairness and integrity of the transaction is also a difficult problem."
Chen Jue said confidently: "Your Majesty, we are willing to work with you to find a solution to these problems. We can first send reliable caravans to conduct exploratory exchanges, familiarize ourselves with the routes, and find safe supply points. For example, we can build small post stations at suitable locations along the way to reserve water and supplies for the caravans to rest and replenish. As for the fairness and integrity of the transaction, we can formulate a detailed contract to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties. The contract stipulates that both parties shall set prices according to market conditions and shall not maliciously raise or lower prices. At the same time, a special arbitration agency will be established. If disputes arise during the transaction, the arbitration personnel recognized by both parties will make the ruling."
The Queen of Jingjue nodded slightly and said, "Establishing a post station is a feasible solution, but it requires a lot of manpower and material resources. How much are you Central Plains caravan willing to bear?"
Chen Jue thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, we are willing to bear one-third of the construction costs and manpower maintenance of the post station. I hope that the ancient country of Jingjue can also provide corresponding support, such as providing land and local labor assistance. This will not only speed up the construction of the post station, but also allow both parties to participate in the construction of the trade route and enhance mutual trust."
The Queen of Jingjue looked at Chen Jue deeply and said, "Yes. But we need to have clear regulations on the categories of goods that the caravan carries. The resources of the ancient country of Jingjue are limited, and we can't just let all goods come in and out at will. What goods do you Central Plains caravans plan to transport for trade?"
Chen Jia took over and said, "Your Majesty, we think we can start with silk, tea and porcelain. Silk has always been loved in the Western Regions. Its gorgeous texture and exquisite patterns will surely be favored by the nobles and commoners of the ancient Jingjue Kingdom. Tea can bring everyone a unique drinking experience and help to refresh the mind. Porcelain is not only practical, but its exquisite craftsmanship also has a high ornamental value. These goods are abundant in the Central Plains and of high quality. I believe they can meet the needs of the ancient Jingjue Kingdom. At the same time, we also hope to purchase some special spices, gems and wool products from the ancient Jingjue Kingdom and bring them back to the Central Plains for sale."
The Queen of Jingjue said, "Silk, tea and porcelain are indeed good things. But we also have our own considerations for spices, gems and wool products. Spices are one of our important specialties, and the output is limited. We can give you some priority, but the price needs to be carefully discussed based on the quality and market conditions. The mining and processing of gems requires professional technology. We will ensure that the gems we provide are of high quality, but at the same time, the price will not be low. Wool products can be supplied in large quantities. The wool of our ancient country Jingjue is soft in texture, and the clothes made from it are extremely warm."
Chen Jue said, "Your Majesty is right. Regarding the price, we can set up a joint pricing team composed of people from both sides who are familiar with the market situation. We can formulate a reasonable pricing system based on factors such as the quality, output and transportation costs of the goods. In addition, we can make regular adjustments based on market changes to ensure fairness in transactions."
The Queen of Jingjue smiled and said, "It seems that you have considered everything very carefully. However, the safety of the trade route is of vital importance. Bandits often appear in the desert. How can we ensure the safety of the caravan?"
Chen Jia said: "Your Majesty, we plan to hire a group of experienced guards who are familiar with the desert environment and are good at dealing with various dangers. At the same time, we also hope that the Jingjue Ancient Country can strengthen patrols in the border areas and echo with our guards to jointly ensure the safety of the trade route. In addition, we can also use secret codes and signs to allow caravans to identify each other and avoid disguised attacks by bandits."
The Queen of Jingjue nodded in approval and said, "Okay, all of your ideas are good. But this trade route is a serious matter, and I need to discuss it with the ministers before making a decision. You should stay in this ancient country of Jingjue for a few days and enjoy the scenery here."
Chen Jia and Chen Jue quickly thanked the Queen of Jingjue. In the next few days, under the arrangement of the Queen of Jingjue, Chen Jia and Chen Jue visited many relics of the ancient Jingjue Kingdom, tasted the unique local food, and gained a deep understanding of the culture of the ancient Jingjue Kingdom.
One day, the Queen of Jingjue summoned them again. She looked at Chen Jia and Chen Jue and said, "After discussing with the ministers, we have decided to try to cooperate with you to establish a trade route. But the establishment of this trade route requires your Central Plains caravan to show enough sincerity and strength."
Chen Jue said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, rest assured, we will select the most elite caravans and bring the precious products of the Central Plains to trade. At the same time, we will strictly abide by the contract to ensure that the transaction is fair and just."
The Queen of Jingjue nodded and said, "Okay, I hope our cooperation will go smoothly. If this cooperation is successful, not only can the products of the ancient Jingjue Kingdom be brought to the Central Plains, but the culture and products of the Central Plains can also be introduced to us, promoting exchanges and development between the two sides."
Chen Jia smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that through our joint efforts, we will be able to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. In the future, the exchanges between the ancient country of Jingjue and the Central Plains will become more frequent, and the cultural and commercial exchanges will become more prosperous."
With the blessing of the Queen of Jingjue, Chen Jia and Chen Jue set off on their return journey. They were full of expectations for future cooperation. This trip to the Western Regions not only deepened their relationship, but also unexpectedly opened up a business cooperation journey with the ancient country of Jingjue, adding a legendary color to their lives. And the mystery and charm of the ancient country of Jingjue will gradually be revealed on the Central Plains with the establishment of trade routes.