The Sun and the Lion

The Italian painter who came with the mission was not a famous artist, and the name he gave was one that Ibrahim had never heard of. But there was no need to be surprised. If he could invite Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci or It was beyond the expectations of the King of Kings that a master like Titian would travel thousands of miles to the hinterland of the heavenly world to paint for him.

Ibrahim signaled the attendant to hold the exquisite small box in front of the painter, and opened it gently. It was filled with fine silver coins, which made the painter, who had been in the industry for a long time and was still struggling in life, stare. .

"Before painting my portrait, I would like to commission you to paint another painting. Would you like it?"

Although he still couldn't understand Persian, he could still recognize silver coins. After hearing what the translator said, he immediately agreed: "It will be at your Majesty's command."

Ibrahim explained a few words to the servants around him. After a brief wait, several guards brought an old man with a beard that reached his chest into the venue. He was wearing Chinese clothes, and his appearance did not look like that of an Oriental, and his clothes The style is the style popular in Western Europe, and it should be a Western European nobleman who came here to seek refuge.

The Portuguese scanned the scene, his first meeting with the Persian king.

"Let me introduce to you this distinguished guest - Alfonso de Albuquerque, the Governor-General of India appointed by the King of Portugal. Do you think you are lucky or unlucky to be alive as a guest of the Grand Palace?"

The translator quickly relayed the first sentence to the Venetian envoy and painter, and the latter sentence was to the Portuguese, and he did not translate it to the Italian. It doesn't matter, Ambassador Franco will take action.

"Dear Sultan, did you ask the guards to escort me here because you wanted your Italian friends to witness your victory in India?" Albuquerque had a yin and yang look on his face.

"I heard that you were wounded and captured alive during the battle in the main building of the fortress. Then make up for the surrender here. Kneel down and dedicate all the cities and fortresses you manage to me."

Ibrahim did not expect Albuquerque to actively cooperate. The guards escorting him worked together to force him to kneel down to the King of Kings on the throne. The governor looked angry, then stared at the other Europeans present and said: "I have now Understand that no matter where they are, Muslims are the eternal enemies of Christians. They enslave fellow believers and steal holy places. They are the most barbaric humanoid creatures in the world... By colluding with such enemies, you are no different from Judas."

Originally, in the eyes of the Portuguese court, the main enemy that needed to be dealt with was the Mamluks who controlled the Holy Land. They also formulated foreign policy based on this principle, hoping to use sectarian conflicts to provoke the Safavids to attack the Mamluks. But Ibrahim's active intervention brought Manuel and Albuquerque's plans to naught, and he no longer needed to be polite to the King of Kings.

"As expected of a Frank from Al-Andalus, his brain has been burned out by religious hatred." After complaining in Persian, Ibrahim then said to the Italian painter: "Just paint me like this. to show the humiliation of his defeat to the world."

It is one thing to paint a portrait of a Muslim monarch, but quite another to paint a picture of a Muslim victory over the Christians. But looking at the box full of silver coins, he could just paint. If his fear and hostility towards Muslims were greater than the money, he wouldn't even come.

The painter was very perceptive and knew that he could not paint it exactly as it was. The most basic thing was to change the Portuguese's angry face into one of fear and obedience. The guards next to him could not directly suppress the governor. Better yet, add some little details that will please the boss, like stepping on the Portuguese flag?

After explaining Party A's requirements, Ibrahim turned to Ehsan on the other side and talked about the victory in India. He did not shy away from the Venetian envoys who were still here. Seeing that the King of Kings did not issue an eviction order, they also Enjoy learning more news about the war in the Indian Ocean through Ambassador Franco's translation.

You still have to be careful when there are outsiders. Ibrahim only discussed the current victory in public and kept silent about the next strategic plan. Even how he planned to deal with Albuquerque was silent.

The attendant hung up the charts of the Persian Sea (Arabian Sea) and the Red Sea. The Portuguese strongholds within the range shown in the pictures no longer exist, and everyone can clearly see the three fortresses of Hormuz, Yemen and Goa. It ensured the Safavid navy's control over key waterways, and by expelling the Portuguese, the public enemy of the ocean, they seized sea power as an ally.

At the same time, he won victory on both battlefields, and the imperial literati who graced the diplomatic occasions cited the classics to praise his virtues and flatter him. The clergy focused on protecting the Hajj route, avenging the Muslims killed along the way and preventing the recurrence of the "Miri" massacre.

Repeat the results of the battle that everyone knows, and then the rewards will be calculated. As the main commander, go to Shuyuan www.zhaoshuyuan.com Ahsan to receive the most rewards. Promotion of officers, titles and financial rewards are already basic operations. Except for The position of naval commander remains unchanged, and his governor of the Persian Gulf Islands is changed to governor of the Indian Ocean. The overseas territories outside Hormuz, including the coast of Oman, except the province of Yemen, are his jurisdiction, and he is allowed to represent the King of Kings. Negotiate with other courts on maritime matters. The previous Persian Gulf Islands Province was dismantled, and the islands were administratively assigned to the nearest province. The southern coast of the Persian Gulf from Kuwait to Ras Al Khaimah was unified into the Gulf Arabian Province, and the governor-general was located in Mai, Bahrain. The city of Namai.

The awarding ceremony for naval officers was going on. The Italian painter on the side was very fast and almost completed the creation at the end, showing the finished product with still wet paint for everyone to watch.

There were also court painters present, who silently observed this unprecedented painting technique.

Ibra, who didn't have many artistic skills, was pleased that the painting had all the elements and no flaws that a layman like him could see. He was 10 or even 9 percent satisfied: "Thank you!"

Not only was the box of silver coins shown to him before, but now he also had several gold ornaments and precious stones that were suitable for giving to his mistress. After earning such a windfall on the first day of work, all the painter's complaints about being far away from his hometown disappeared. It's not a bad idea to live here for a year and a half.

After successfully rejecting the Venetians and escorting away the Portuguese, it was time to truly discuss future strategies.

"Do you think it's time for peace now?" Ibrahim asked Ehsan, while the attendant hung up a map of the East African coast, where many Portuguese presences still remain.

"I think it depends on your Majesty's purpose. Moreover, it is difficult for the two countries to communicate. If you are interested, our army can seize the opportunity to pursue the victory and force the Franks to admit it after the established facts are established."

"Um……"