Chapter Sixteen: The Eastern Expedition and the Directorate of the Secretariat

Although he did not agree to pay, Sun Shiwan was quite satisfied with the trip. He said that since he had made a round of offerings, it was only proper to present some tribute to the deities.

When visiting an ordinary temple, one would still bring gifts for the gods and Buddhas; all the more so here, at the largest temple in the Roman world, where the standards should be higher.

Moreover, Brother Tian had gone through quite an ordeal for his visit—being hung up, stripped to the waist with a large headscarf—and even gave him a special demonstration. To not pay for this would be unreasonable.

Just as Sun Shiwan was about to take out money, Wu Han produced something that looked like a ledger and handed it to him.

This idea had also been suggested by Guo Kang at the beginning. Important visitors who toured the temple were invited to leave their signatures here. Already, the book contained autographs from Saharu himself, the French Crown Prince, Grand Duke Vladimir, and other notable figures.

Additionally, the temple accepted commissions for religious paintings and could create custom scenes upon request. Whether standing among the saints, listening to Brother Tian’s teachings, sharing a friendly arm with a holy figure, or even wielding a sword alongside Saint George as he slayed the dragon, they could paint it all for you.

Two copies of each piece were made—one for the visitor and one to be displayed in the temple. With several prominent figures leading the way, other visitors took pride in being featured alongside them. Nobles from all corners of the land eagerly donated to the temple in hopes of gaining such an honor.

Sun Shiwan didn’t care much about those few people, but as he himself said, displaying one’s visit in the temple served as a form of advertisement—not merely a matter of religious sentiment or seeking favor with the powerful.

He picked up the ledger and, while preparing his brush and ink, pondered for a moment. Then, with bold strokes, he inscribed the words, “Sun Wenyuan was here.”

As for the portrait, he decided to commission one as well. Wu Han asked which deity and scene he preferred. Sun Shiwan replied that he did not understand religion but was willing to spend the money, so he requested that all the principal gods of the temple be included.

Finally, he instructed his attendants to bring out the treasures.

The attendants produced an exquisitely decorated box, which Sun Shiwan accepted and opened. Inside were three large pearls and several multicolored gemstones set upon a gold and silver base.

“These three are premium northern pearls I purchased from merchants in the Eastern Expedition Province. For this visit, I specially had them made according to the tenets of your country’s monotheistic faith,” he explained. “The three pearls represent the three treasures of the faith. Placed on the same base, they symbolize the Holy Trinity.”

“As for the other gold, silver, agate, amber, and so forth, they follow the Buddhist tradition of the Seven Jewels, signifying equal reverence to all deities without favoritism.” Saying this, he placed the box on the main altar and performed a respectful bow.

Wu Han, still in training and inexperienced in gem appraisal, could not yet discern the value of offerings at a glance like senior clerics, so he could not arrange the reception accordingly. But the sheer opulence of the gift was unmistakable even to him.

Such a tribute was beyond Wu Han’s authority to arrange reception for on his own. He promptly said the offering was too precious and that Master Wang must be summoned to personally oversee the ceremony.

Before long, the Grand Patriarch Wang Dalama came hurriedly, carrying a ceremonial whisk.

He was momentarily stunned upon seeing the jewelry, then pulled Sun Shiwan aside for a quiet conversation that lasted a good while. Afterwards, the two exchanged farewells, and Sun Shiwan, accompanied by his attendants, swaggered out through the main gate.

“Hey? Master Wang, didn’t we say we wanted to learn from him how to trick tributes?” Wu Han asked, puzzled.

“Trick your ghost,” Wang Dalama replied gruffly. “How can you call it tricking? It’s the Romans’ affair—how could it be trickery?”

“Then…” Wu Han was momentarily at a loss.

“Forget about that. The matter of the royal letter can wait a couple of days,” Wang Dalama shook his head repeatedly. “What we need now is to hold a meeting and get our thoughts properly organized.”