The Sun and the Lion

A group of armed men on foot were escorting large carts loaded with goods along the road. The leader on horseback did not seem to be very skilled in equestrian skills, perhaps because he was trying to keep up with the speed of the entire team.

After a whole month of journey, Ehsan on horseback finally arrived in Tabriz, three weeks later than the good news he sent.

The entire team advanced slowly along the avenue. The cavalry from the city had already received the order. Pedestrians and vendors avoided the whips in the hands of the riders. The originally crowded avenues and squares immediately became spacious.

These sailors, who had never been to Tabriz, watched the street scene curiously, and many who had been to the Port of Hormuz were mentally comparing the prosperity of the two cities.

The citizens on both sides also cast curious glances at this team. There is no doubt that those who can specially dispatch cavalry to clear the way are all big shots. But as residents of the palace, they had never seen this noble man wearing a luxurious dress.

The team behind him were all infantry, and their equipment was relatively messy. In addition to the scimitars hung around their waists, they held a variety of long-range weapons, including matchlocks and crossbows of different shapes. This is also rare. Cavalry is the first choice of all military leaders.

However, for Ahsan, the first thing he had to deal with was not his image in front of the residents of the capital, but the communication issue with the cavalry who came to greet him.

When he first met with Ibrahim and when he was working with civilian officials, he was able to communicate with him in Persian without any problems. But that was not the case with the red-headed officer in front of him. When he tried to use Persian to talk to the red-headed officer in front of him, he found that the other party spoke a language he did not understand.

After talking to each other for a while, Azerbaijan realized the problem and had to report the problem to the palace. After waiting for a while, a guard from the palace replaced the original officer.

Dear Governor of the Persian Gulf Islands, Your Majesty is aware of your victory and is now waiting for you in the hall to pay tribute to the spoils of war.

Ahsan nodded: Then please lead the way. Then he called to the sailors behind him to continue escorting the trophies to the palace with him. The whole team continued to move forward slowly.

He looked at the guard in front of him who was leading the way, wanting to know the latest developments in the palace, especially Ibrahim's preferences and next military plan. But he didn't know this guard, so it wouldn't be a good idea to act rashly.

The two of them walked to the palace in silence, then dismounted and walked.

Ahsan followed the guards through the spacious courtyard and entered the hall, while most of the soldiers he brought were left in the courtyard. The gifts and prisoners to be brought into the hall were taken over by the guards stationed in the palace.

He walked slowly towards the main seat, and when the distance was suitable, he saluted and said: Dear King of Kings, your faithful servant salutes you.

Ibrahim looked at the pirate leader who had come ashore clean and said: I have heard about your victory in the battle report you sent, and I congratulate you on regaining your jurisdiction. After speaking, he used hand gestures to remind you. Ahsan can now talk to him while standing.

Thank my Lord for the reward. Ehsan stood up and immediately asked the guards responsible for escorting the loot to bring up two large boxes of property.

The box was slowly opened, Your Majesty, please take a look. Ibrahim cast his gaze over. The boxes were filled with valuables, and there were fabric cushions on the outside. Hormuz is one of the most famous pearl producing areas in the Persian Gulf, and the first box contains pearls.

The pearls neatly arranged on the fabric range from large to small. They are all roughly spherical in shape and white in color. They look almost the same as those sewn on the clothes of the King of Kings. There are several small boxes inside the box, which contain pearl jewelry that have been processed into finished products.

When Ibrahim saw so many pearls, he just nodded lightly in approval, and then turned his attention to the second box. What is loaded inside is coral, which is also a luxury product.

The guard carefully took out the red coral inside and showed it to the King of Kings. There were two large pieces of coral that had not yet been processed. Then taken out of the box were coral jewelry and small sculptures plundered from the harem in Hormuz.

Very good, but these belongings are not the most important trophies. Ibrahim looked at the captives.

Ahsan noticed what Ibrahim was looking at and replied: Yes, Your Majesty. The most precious items cannot show their value until the end.

Then, as the finale, the three prisoners were escorted in front of them. There were no punches or kicks. The guards who escorted them simply pressed their shoulders with the palms of their hands, and they knelt down in front of Ibrahim smoothly. Their family members mingled in the queue behind.

Your Majesty, please allow me to introduce these three distinguished guests. The governor motioned to the guards to straighten the lowered heads of the introduced persons so that Ibrahim could see their faces clearly. Introduction: This is the Sultan of Hormuz, the Vizier, and the Sultan of Qeshm Island. They are all people who overestimate their own capabilities. They dream of relying on the ocean to stop your conquest. In the end, they can only be defeated by you. The army was crushed.

Looking at the three unknown figures below, Ibrahim showed no interest in them at all, and just glanced at the three of them with contempt.

Ibrahim's condescending contempt directly angered the puppet Sultan of Hormuz, but he, who had been imprisoned in a golden birdcage, did not dare to take offense when he looked at the young man in front of him who was much younger than him. Coupled with the frustration when he was captured and the training on the way to escort, the combination of conflicting emotions directly distorted his heart.

You heretic... As soon as he opened his mouth, fear surged into his heart, and in the end he could only make a mosquito-like sound, so that Ibrahim didn't even hear what he said. The guard who was escorting him had already grasped the handle of the knife with his hand, but this man's life or death was not something he could decide on his own.

Waqa Atta even wanted to show his value to Ibrahim: Dear Shah, as the vizier of Hormuz, no one knows how to manage a sea trade center better than me. An understanding of Indian Ocean trade…”

Ibrahim interrupted Waqa Atta's high-speed chanting with an angry shout: Did I ask you to speak?

Surprise flashed across the face of the suddenly interrupted Vizier at first, and then fear spread. He knew that if he was not accepted as a dog by his new master, the best outcome would be death.

The Sultan of Qeshm Island on the side looked at the fooling of the Hormuz monarchs and ministers, and obediently closed his mouth and remained silent.

Ibrahim thought for a while, and then ordered: Put them in the dungeon first, demote their wives and daughters into slaves, and castrate all the boys.

As soon as these words came out, the faces of the three people below turned green.