The Sun and the Lion

The week-long celebration ended soon, and the entire city of Tabriz gradually returned to its original life track. Saying goodbye to the banquet filled with compliments from distinguished guests every day, Ibrahim returned to his home. In the study, he reads documents, issues orders, holds regular meetings, and handles judicial cases involving the central government.

"Your Majesty, this is the status of the horses sold from Hormuz to India last year." The white gelding manager Waqie sorted out the trade status of the royal merchants to India in the past few years, especially regarding the export of horses and the import of saltpeter. The status of trade.

Because Bijapur took the initiative to repay, Ibrahim once again drew attention to Indian trade, and asked the eunuchs and officials responsible for managing royal assets and controlling trade to provide information about Indian trade.

The most common commodity imported by Safavid merchants from India was saltpeter. Due to Ibrahim's need to popularize the use of firearms, a large amount of Indian saltpeter was sent to Tabriz, Herat, and Hormu. Gunpowder workshops in places such as this are used to process gunpowder.

In addition to military use, these gunpowders were also used in mining, and all state-owned mines and a large number of private mines purchased gunpowder to blast ore to increase production and provide another income for the operation of gunpowder workshops outside the army.

Whatever was bought was sold. The chaos in the Deccan region gave various regimes a strong demand for horses and ordnance. Although the Bahmani Sultanate was on the verge of disintegration, the original conflicts between the Deccan Sultanates and Vijayanagar continued, and new conflicts arose between the Deccan Sultanates.

The local metal processing workshops and other handicraft industries in the Deccan region can generally meet the needs of various palaces for ordnance. Iran's swords, armors and other ordnance are not particularly competitive.

However, the Deccan region does not produce horses, and due to wars and hot and humid environment, war horses were severely damaged. Transporting Arabian and Iranian horses to India has become an important business for Muslim merchants to make huge profits. Goa Port is an important freight hub. And became the focus of competition among various forces.

Ibrahim, who had a thorough understanding of these issues, believed that Bijapur could be given preferential treatment in the horse trade and an embargo was imposed on its enemies, and then on this basis, he asked the Safavids to be allowed to build forts and coastal defense batteries next to Goa Port. and naval ports to deploy the navy.

If the negotiations are successful, he will be able to control Goa before the Portuguese and use it as a fulcrum to penetrate South India.

Just when he was still thinking about government affairs, a panicked eunuch walked up to Ibrahim and whispered: "My master, Shahbanu suddenly feels unwell, and the royal doctor said he is about to give birth." .”

Ibrahim's leisurely look suddenly became serious. The financial officials and eunuchs present looked at the servants who came to inform him in confusion, and then they realized what happened.

"Let's discuss today's matter later when we find time." After saying that, he quickly walked out of the study and went straight to the harem.

When I walked to the door of the palace, the door was crowded with people, all of them servants of the harem and eunuch harem guards. They were all respectful when they saw the King of Kings coming, but they didn't know how to relieve his anxiety.

"Your Majesty, don't worry. The best doctor in the palace has already gone in. With Huda's blessing, Shahbanu will be safe."

Ibrahim stared at the door, then turned his eyes away for a moment, as if he could faintly hear his wife's painful screams behind the door. He didn't know what to do, so he had to stand still, but he couldn't wander around. Time felt like it was moving very slowly.

The first nobles who learned the news and came over were his brother Ismail and his sister-in-law Tajiru. They first comforted Ibrahim to calm down, and then waited with him at the door.

As for other senior bureaucrats and nobles who got the news, they were stopped outside the harem by palace guards and eunuch guards, and could only gather in the hall to wait for the news.

In the midst of endless suffering, the door opened, and the royal doctor came out and said to Ibrahim: "Your Majesty, thanks to Huda's blessing, Shahbanu is safe. But... she is a girl."

Ibrahim pushed the door open wider, and the doctor moved inward, leaving room for him to enter. He walked quickly to the bedside and first saw Mira, who had not yet recovered from the pain of childbirth. She was exhausted and soaked with sweat and looked at Ibrahim tiredly.

"Your Majesty, let's take a look at your child first..." Seeing that her spouse arrived in time, Mira felt relieved and relaxed.

The midwife on the side brought the swaddled baby to Ibrahim. He took over the swaddled eldest daughter and listened to the child's cries at close range. He soon realized that he was not suitable for this job, but he still wisely put it in his arms. The child was handed over. Find bookstore www.zhaoshuyuan.com

"Mira, I don't know how to thank you. I'm afraid not many Ghazis in the world have experienced pain comparable to this." He sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Mira's beautiful face, somewhat incoherently.

Although she was not satisfied with the birth, she felt Ibrahim's concern and tried to smile at him and asked: "What are you going to name our daughter?"

When asked, Ibrahim became entangled. As a nameless person, it was quite difficult for him to be asked to come up with such an idea. But his hesitation was seen by her as a sign of dissatisfaction.

"Your Majesty, if you don't like girls..."

Before she finished speaking, Ibrahim interrupted: "What are you thinking? I just don't know what to name my daughter."

He thought hard and the first female name he could think of was the Zoroastrian goddess Anahita, but would this name be too retro?

"Let's name our eldest daughter after the pagan water goddess Anahita."

Mira nodded weakly in agreement.

When Ibrahim walked out of the room, he saw Ismail waiting at the door, whispering something to Tajiru, and his sister-in-law's face turned red with embarrassment.

When Ibrahim saw Ibrahim coming out, Ismail first congratulated him and asked about his niece's condition. He replied one by one. Then the two of them left the harem and walked to the hall to greet the viziers, khans and other people who were waiting here. The emir announced this.

Although the person born was not an heir, he was still the son of the King of Kings. All the nobles and high officials immediately offered their congratulations to Ibrahim, and he accepted them all.

Such news spread quickly, and many loyalists in the city spontaneously celebrated and prayed for Sheikh, but Ibrahim soon devoted his energy to political affairs again.