The Sun and the Lion

Time flies to March. As the sun's direct point moves northward, winter turns to spring, the temperature warms up, and agricultural production begins to resume. Under the urging of stomachs, money bags, and landowners, farmers' slack season is over.

During these two and a half months, the caliphs of the Order completed the task of eliminating heretics in the territory and maintained the stability of local order. At the same time, the reorganization, replenishment and rest of the army lasted for two months. The number of troops currently deployed in Azerbaijan has grown to 21 regiments. The tribe once again made a huge contribution, and the military food tax assessed to the tribe was enough to pay for the maintenance of this army. It takes half a year.

But it’s not the time to go to war yet, today is the Spring Equinox and Nowruz is celebrated. Ordinary civilians celebrate the Spring Festival at home and welcome the new year.

Nowruz has also been endowed with sanctity, and Nowruz is included in the Zoroastrian religious calendar. Because Muhammad happened to appoint Ali as his successor on the day of Nowruz, the later Shias all recognized Nowruz. Sufis, Ismailis, Alawites and other Shia subordinates The branches regard this day as a sacred day.

Even the Seventh Imam Musa Qamqi explained this: "In Nowruz, the Lord makes a covenant with His servants to worship Him, welcome His Messenger and submit to His rule. On this day, the fertile wind blows Then, the first day when flowers grew on the earth. On this day, the archangel Gabriel appeared to the prophet. It was also the day when Abraham broke idol worship. It was also the day when the prophet regarded Ali as his arm and crushed the Quraish in the Kaaba. A day in the life of an idol.”

While most Shiite scholars believe that believers should fast on this holy day, Ibrahim didn't care.

Under the leadership of the caliphs, devout believers came to the mosque to pray, reciting prayers that had been modified by the caliphs and mixed with a large number of Shiite elements. However, it has been two months since the order was issued, and those who can still pray in the mosque are already used to it. Because today is a happy day and a holy day. Therefore, today’s prayer does not contain insults and curses against Sunnis, nor does it include religious rituals that show hostility to Sunnis.

In the military camp, Ibrahim held a celebration banquet.

Thanks to the wealth confiscated during the suppression of heretics, Ibrahim was able to give every soldier a New Year's gift - two new sets of uniforms and a quarter's pay.

"Hail! Ibrahim Sheikh!"

Suddenly such a shout of joy broke out among the common soldiers, and then the praise of the King of Kings spread to the whole army.

"Great and generous Shah, I wish you good health and victory!"

“Our Prophet…may Allah bless you always for your generosity.”

For a time, the entire military camp was noisy, and many excited fanatics even knelt down, and then continued to export their support for Sheikh and the Safavid Order.

Driven by fanatical believers, ordinary people were also infected and knelt down collectively to thank God and the Sheikh for their blessings.

The gifts for senior officers are very valuable. Each person is awarded honorary uniforms of different specifications and quantities according to their rank. The ceremonial clothes were packed in a box, and then Ibrahim also presented a set of armor, a bow, a knife and a horse as well as finely crafted crafts.

"Your Majesty..." After receiving the gifts, the senior officers all knelt down and bowed to Ibrahim. Those who were close to the King of Kings, like Hussein, were allowed to kiss the lower end of the robe.

Ibrahim also prepared gifts for senior military officers who were not present, such as Romru Khan of Mosul and Heraclius who had already captured the city of Van, and sent them to them. And the huge transportation team also carried rewards for the soldiers under their command.

After receiving the gifts, it was time to cook. Ibrahim and senior officers gathered in the big tent for a banquet. The main dishes, side dishes, desserts and drinks were brought by the waiters on blankets in front of the guests for everyone to enjoy.

After a while, when the feasting session ended and everyone started enjoying desserts and drinks, the entertainment began.

The officers chatted while eating. They talked about a wide range of topics, from ordinary household matters to tribal affairs, from gossip to the current situation, and everything in between.

While everyone was talking, the musician and dancer came on the stage and began to perform for everyone.

"Musicians, dancers, clowns... although these people have low status, without them, even the life of an emperor will become boring." Looking at the charming figures of these dancers and the echo in the big tent Ibrahim suddenly remembered such a passage he had read online in his previous life.

At this moment, Ali Kakia came over and said, "Your Majesty, I want to thank you for giving me such a generous New Year gift."

At the end of February, he ended the sieges of Amol and Sari and officially became the Shah of all Tabaristan. Then, he received an invitation from Ibrahim to come to Tabriz for the festival and discuss the aftermath.

"The Safavid Order and Gilan's court have been allies in history. Find Shuyuan www.zhaoshuyuan.com. You protected me when I was in trouble. Now I have the ability to repay you. Naturally, I cannot let my allies' efforts go in vain. "

"But... Dear Sheikh, I heard that you support Gilan in order to capture the interests of Tabaristan."

"What you said is true." Ibrahim wanted to say this. He supported Gilan's control of Tabaristan because he wanted to control Iran's largest raw silk production area and gain huge profits by controlling the silk trade. Revenue.

Tabaristan not only produces silk, but also wood, rice, seafood, etc. The fishery of the Caspian Sea was also a major source of income for the lords of Tabaristan. Although the preservation technology of this era was very backward, the seafood that could be sold to other regions was either dried or pickled.

"I will not harm the interests of my vassals. Your interests are the ones I protect."

Then Ibrahim made a request to Ali: "Ali Shah, do you know the profits of the raw silk trade? You now have raw silk and fishery, two sources of income that are enough to make everyone jealous, but you lack a sufficient protection team. An army of property.”

"What do you mean..." Ali probably guessed Ibrahim's intention and cursed in his heart for being shameless.

"As my vassal, you can naturally get protection from the suzerain. This is your right, but you have rights and obligations, right?"

Then Ibrahim asked Ali to monopolize the silk trade in Tabaristan, and then agreed to a 30/70 share, with 70% going to Tabriz. Then, in order to deepen the relationship between the two parties, Ali proposed to marry his daughter to Ibrahim, and the two parties became married. After all, declaring war on a country that has a royal marriage with your own country will lose stability.

Ibrahim thought about it and felt that it was not a loss, so he agreed.