Chapter 401: Sogdian Merchants

Samarkand, on the eve of a great war—after nearly half a year of peace—the city was once again shrouded in the shadows of war. Yet the people of Samarkand, accustomed to war, showed no signs of panic. They continued to go about their daily lives as usual. To the east of Samarkand stood a massive white building, the headquarters of the Sogdian Merchant Guild. This guild was the most powerful civilian organization in the Transoxiana region. The Sogdians were renowned for their trading skills, and over centuries of trade history, they gradually organized themselves for mutual benefit, eventually forming the Sogdian Merchant Guild. Its influence was so great that it could even determine the rulers of the countries in Transoxiana at one time.

After enduring numerous wars, the Sogdian Merchant Guild suffered severe setbacks, especially when the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasids were at war, which greatly undermined their trade interests. The guild faced an unprecedented crisis, prompting them to seek new trade routes.

That morning, the guild was filled with merchants. Hundreds of members from various countries in Transoxiana gathered there. The looming war and concerns about the future made them unable to wait any longer. Just then, they received word from the guild that Li Qing’an, the governor of Anxi, would come to Samarkand to discuss the future of Sogdian trade with them. The merchants promptly set aside their duties and rushed to Samarkand.

In the guild’s lobby, several leaders were discussing the terms of their meeting with Li Qing’an and what demands they should make. The guild had ten leaders, one from each Sogdian country, with the majority coming from the Kingdom of Kang. This was due to the varying status of the countries—Bukhara, for example, was a famous center for culture and art, so its commercial activity was relatively weak, while Samarkand, as a center for handicrafts and trade, became the largest trading hub in Transoxiana, with many wealthy merchants. Four of the ten guild leaders came from Samarkand.

The initiator of this meeting was Mikhail, around seventy years old. He was the most experienced and wealthiest merchant in the guild. He was also a devout Muslim. Although among the ten leaders there were both Muslims and Zoroastrians, their shared commercial interests meant that religion was no longer a barrier between them.

“Everyone, there’s no need for me to explain the current situation; you must be well aware that the war has halted trade between the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasid Dynasty. It’s as if the bridges connecting two isolated islands have been destroyed, leaving us as helpless people on those islands. Moreover, the Tang Dynasty has started trading directly with Byzantium, yet we haven’t been able to benefit from it at all. Our situation is extremely critical—literally a matter of life and death. Prince Zhao came to Samarkand originally to prepare for war against the Abbasid Dynasty, but yesterday I contacted Lord Luo, the chief secretary, who said he was willing to plead on our behalf to Prince Zhao. According to recent news, Prince Zhao will visit our merchant guild today. This is a chance that could determine our fate, and we must seize it.”

“Uncle Mikhail, you’re the most experienced among us. Please share your thoughts!”

Mikhail waved his hand and continued, “Actually, my idea is quite simple: we need to persuade Prince Zhao to allow us to participate in trade with Constantinople. So far, not a single Sogdian has obtained a trading license to trade in Suyab. We hope to get such an opportunity, and we also hope he’ll allow us to continue trading with the Arabs.”

“Uncle Mikhail, continuing trade with the Arabs might be difficult, as war is about to break out between the two countries, and the army surely won’t allow us to cross.”

“I know! I know!” Mikhail said quickly. “That’s why we need to explain to him that we won’t be transporting military supplies to Arabia. We’ll only trade luxury goods such as porcelain, silk, tea, and other items. By reasoning with him and appealing to his emotions, I believe Prince Zhao’s attitude might soften. For this reason, I’ve brought in a few special friends to help us.”

At these words, Mikhail nodded at two elderly men sitting at the far end. Everyone had noticed them earlier but didn’t know who they were. One of the elderly men with tanned skin stood up and introduced himself, “My name is Sarda. I’m from Tuozhi City and am also a member of the merchant guild.”

Some people had heard of him and nodded. He was another veteran merchant who had traveled to the Tang Dynasty for trade. Mikhail smiled and introduced him further, “Sarda had an acquaintance with Prince Zhao seven years ago, when Prince Zhao was just a brigade commander in the Tang army. Back then, Sarda accompanied Princess Julan of the Shi State, who later became the Holy Princess Julan, to Anxi.”

A hint of envy appeared in everyone’s eyes. With such a relationship with the King of Zhao, this Saldar could surely make a fortune! Yet Saldar smiled bitterly and said, “Seven years have passed. I wonder if His Highness the King of Zhao still remembers me.”
At that moment, the second elder stood up, bowed slightly, and said with a smile, “I am Boroduo.”
Boroduo was the spiritual leader of the Muslims in Samarkand, highly skilled in medicine, and held great prestige in the Kingdom of Kang. However, he rarely appeared in public, so people only knew of him by name. Hearing that it was Boroduo, everyone couldn’t help but applaud. Boroduo was the Muslim physician who had cured Li Qing’an’s family’s illness. He also had a good relationship with Li Qing’an. Mikhail had invited him hoping he could assist the merchant guild as well.
With these two helping, everyone felt hopeful and became more spirited. Just then, a merchant rushed in urgently and shouted, “His Highness the King of Zhao is here!”
Everyone stood up at once and followed Mikhail outside to greet him.
…
Since taking control of Khwarezm three years ago, Li Qing’an had been to Samarkand three times, and this was his fourth visit. But it was his first time at the Sogdian Merchant Guild. Li Qing’an was well aware of the Sogdians’ importance in trade between the East and West. However, the Sogdian merchants were too powerful. During the unrest in Khwarezm last time, instead of helping Li Qing’an quell the situation, they secretly supported conflicts between the two religious factions, especially backing the Muslim radicals in their rebellion.
After this was exposed, Li Qing’an became very dissatisfied with the Sogdian merchants. To punish their disloyalty, he ordered that they be barred from participating in Byzantine trade and halted trade with the Arabs. Additionally, the government of Shuyue restricted the scale and number of Sogdians allowed to trade with the Tang Dynasty. A series of strict measures effectively and severely hit the Sogdian merchants.
This time, he came to Samarkand to oversee the war against the Arabs. But Luo Qiming, who was in charge of affairs in Khwarezm, repeatedly asked him to ease his pressure on the Sogdian merchants. Considering their role, Li Qing’an finally agreed to Luo Qiming’s request and came to inspect the Sogdian Merchant Guild.
Under the strict protection of over a hundred bodyguards, Li Qing’an entered the guild’s gates, accompanied by Luo Qiming and more than a dozen officials from Khwarezm.
Upon entering, they saw a spacious square first. Hundreds of Sogdian merchants stood on both sides. More than a thousand Tang soldiers had arrived earlier, fully armed, with troops stationed every three steps and sentries every five steps—strict security measures keeping the merchants at a distance from Li Qing’an. Especially at a time when war was about to break out, all security measures were extremely tight.

At that moment, the ten leaders of the merchant guild stepped forward. Mikhail knelt down first, exclaiming excitedly, “The Sogdian Merchant Guild welcomes His Excellency, General Zhao!”
Li Qing’an smiled faintly and said, “It has always been my wish to visit the Sogdian Merchant Guild. I tried to come last time, but due to the internal unrest in Khwarazm, I had to cancel it.”
There was a hint of sarcasm in Li Qing’an’s words. By subtly mentioning the internal unrest in Khwarazm, he was implying that it was precisely this unrest that made him give up on visiting the Sogdian Merchant Guild.
These Sogdian merchants were all extremely shrewd. How could they fail to detect the hidden meaning in Li Qing’an’s words? Mikhail immediately spoke earnestly, “This year, the situation in Khwarazm is peaceful, with the people living in harmony. Samarkand is also gradually regaining its former prosperity—all thanks to His Excellency. Every Sogdian person is deeply grateful. The Sogdian Merchant Guild hopes that under His Excellency’s rule, Khwarazm will become even more prosperous. For this reason, we will fully support every decision of His Excellency.”
Although Li Qing’an hoped that Han merchants from the Central Plains could replace the Sogdians and thrive on the Silk Road, he knew it would not be possible for at least five or six years. Not to mention that most of the settlers in Anxi were farmers from the Central Plains who lacked a strong sense of commerce. Moreover, Li Qing’an needed them to consolidate his control over the land, especially in trade with Byzantium. In Anxi, state-run merchants dominated, but they were far from sufficient, and they were also much more rigid than Jewish merchants, who were far more flexible. Recently, a large number of Jews had gotten involved in trade between Byzantium and Anxi. Thus, Li Qing’an ultimately decided to lift the trade restrictions on Sogdian merchants.
By visiting the Sogdian Merchant Guild today, Li Qing’an wanted to hear their words and observe their actions. Their attitude was good, and they showed signs of remorse, but that wasn’t enough. He still needed the Sogdian merchants to take concrete actions.
“Get up! Let me take a look first.”
Mikhail quickly stood up and led Li Qing’an inside. Upon reaching the door, Li Qing’an saw Borodo and was surprised. He had left without saying goodbye last time in Hexi, and now he encountered him here. Li Qing’an immediately pulled him aside affectionately and whispered his thanks, “My wife is pregnant, and Ruoshi also gave birth to a daughter. I owe Borong a great debt of gratitude.”
“General, there’s no need to thank me. Healing the sick and helping the injured is my duty. I only beg the General, out of consideration for the Sogdians who are also part of Anxi, to give these poor merchants a chance to survive. The Sogdians rely on commerce for their livelihood. If they can no longer engage in trade, it will be a disaster for them. As a fellow Sogdian, how could I not be worried? If the General wants to thank me, then please give us a chance!”

After saying that, Borodo actually knelt before him. Li Qingan quickly helped him up and sighed, “Lord Borodo truly is a kind-hearted man. Very well! Out of respect for you, I will give them a chance. I’ll talk to them properly later.” At that moment, Sarda also stepped forward and bowed deeply to Li Qingan, saying, “General, do you still remember this old merchant?” Li Qingan found him somewhat familiar but couldn’t recall who he was at first. “Who are you…” “General, it was I who accompanied Princess Julan to Anxi back then.” “You’re… Uncle Sarda!” Li Qingan suddenly remembered. “I wouldn’t dare. How could I allow the general to call me uncle?” Seeing Sarda, Li Qingan thought of Princess Julan again. He nodded silently and said, “Uncle Sarda is also part of the merchant guild, right? If you need anything, feel free to come to Suiye to see me. I’ll do my best to help you.” “I can no longer keep running. My son has taken over my business. He wants to go to Constantinople and Chang’an, but he doesn’t have a trading permit and can’t pass through the border troops. I beg the general to allow the Sogdians to participate in trade with the Romans. I would be eternally grateful.” With two acquaintances pleading for him, Li Qingan couldn’t refuse. He nodded and said to Mikhail, “Go to your meeting room. I’ll have a proper talk with you there!” Mikhail was overjoyed and promptly invited Li Qingan into their meeting room with great respect. The room had been prepared thoroughly—these merchants had taken great care of every detail to please Li Qingan. First, they didn’t dare sit on equal terms with him; instead, they studied Tang customs and laid soft mats on the ground. Everyone sat on the mats, with Li Qingan seated in the center on a mat made of gold foil. The Sogdian merchants and officials sat in the front, in two rows on either side. Besides the ten leaders of the merchant guild, over thirty influential merchants also sneaked in to listen.

Li Qing’an sat down, and a beautiful Sogdian girl served him tea. Li Qing’an was expressionless as he said to everyone in a stern tone, “There’s something I need to make clear right away. This year, the reason I’ve been suppressing you Sogdian merchants is that many of you played dishonorable roles in the religious conflicts in River Region at the beginning of the year. I’ve been striving to calm the conflicts between the two factions, yet some of you have secretly supported the radicals. I found a list in the palace of your former king, Shaofen, listing over 200 people, of which 128 were from the Sogdian merchant community. Although the old saying goes ‘don’t blame the whole group,’ for me, it means holding everyone accountable. That’s why you won’t receive permits to trade with the Romans. I know some of you still proceed secretly, but let me tell you that last month, three Sogdian merchants were arrested for smuggling against orders and executed on the spot by the troops at Talas; their goods were confiscated. This is the punishment for opposing me.”

Li Qing’an’s stern gaze swept over the faces of the dozens of Sogdian merchants, who grew anxious and lowered their heads.

Mikhail stood up, ashamed, and said, “Your Highness, we acknowledge our mistakes. From now on, we will fully support every decision of Your Highness, including the war against the Arabs. I am also willing to donate wealth to support the Anxi army.”

Li Qing’an’s expression softened slightly as he nodded and said, “The reason I’m willing to sit here today is because I sense your sincerity. Personally, I never look down on merchants. In fact, I even organize trade between officials, merchants, and the Romans. Trade allows for the exchange of goods, boosts the economy, and ensures stable tax revenues for the government. Especially since Anxi needs goods from the Central Plains, I’ve always given top priority to trade. I established six departments and nine bureaus, with the first department being the Ministry of Personnel and the first bureau the Tax Bureau—this shows my emphasis on trade. I, Li Qing’an, am also a magnanimous person. As long as you can prove your support for Anxi through concrete actions, I will grant you equal trading rights and truly treat you as citizens of the Tang Dynasty.”

“Your Highness’s generosity fills us with gratitude. We wonder what else Your Highness needs from us. Please speak plainly.”

Li Qing’an smiled slightly and said, “It’s very simple. I have only one condition: you must obtain the status of lord. Once you do, you’ll receive the corresponding trade rank. The higher the rank of the lord, the more trade privileges you’ll get. You’ll not only be able to trade in Chang’an but also with the Romans, and even continue trading with the Arabs. For those with an even higher rank, I can grant you tax exemptions and send troops to escort you safely. So my condition is simple—become a lord. To get a license to trade with the Romans, you must at least be a lord of the rank of Upper Cavalry Commander.”

The title of lord was a measure adopted by Li Qing’an to promote Han studies in the River Regions. Activities such as learning the Chinese language and customs, or sending children to Han schools, could earn one the lowest rank of lord, namely Cloud Cavalry Officer. Those who held this title enjoyed many benefits, such as tax reductions, relief tokens during disasters, and military assistance in building houses. To achieve a higher rank required greater efforts. As Li Qing’an said, to reach the rank of Upper Cavalry Commander, one had to establish at least two Han schools or sponsor fifty Sogdian youths to study in Suiye for three years.

Sogdian merchants held great influence in the Sogdian region. By nature, merchants were profit-driven, and they didn’t care whether Sogdian would be sinicized. They traveled between the Tang Dynasty and the Western Regions, with many admiring Tang culture and even willingly embracing it. Li Qing’an saw this clearly and intended to use the power of Sogdian merchants to spread Han studies.

Upon hearing Li Qing’an’s conditions, the heads of the merchant associations began whispering among themselves. At that moment, Mikhail said, “Your Highness, isn’t the requirement for an Upper Cavalry Commander rank a bit too high? After all, many people want to do business with the Romans, but not everyone has the ability to achieve that rank.”

Li Qing’an shook his head and said, “This is a decision I’ve made after careful consideration. If you don’t have the ability yet, trade first between the Western Regions and the Central Plains. Once you gain the capability, go to Constantinople. I’ve already handed the specific terms to Minister Luo; you can consult him.”

With that, Li Qing’an smiled again and said, “Additionally, I’ve opened up a new trade route for you—Sindh, Punjab, and India. The condition remains the same: you must obtain the rank of Upper Cavalry Commander to trade there. I’ll order troops to protect your safety. If you’re interested, you can even build sea ships and travel from the ports of Punjab to the south of the Tang Dynasty, where there are endless business opportunities. For those engaged in overseas trade, I’ll not only exempt all goods from taxes but also provide free food and fresh water. How about it? Those interested can give it a try.”

Most Sogdian merchants were stunned. While they were not allowed to engage in overseas trade, some had traveled to Guangzhou on cargo ships from the Abbasid Caliphate and Persia and knew how lucrative overseas trade could be. Hearing the terms offered by Li Qingan, their eyes lit up.