Mount and Blade Central Asia

Therefore, the more Old Luo Kan looked at Li Rufeng, the more he liked him.

Chapter 379 Mission

As the leader of the Aries people, Kara Osman also had a very difficult time.

Although they are both Turkmen, the White Sheep Tribe and the Black Sheep Tribe have been enemies since ancient times, and are almost replicas of the Mongol people and the Transoxiana people.

Moreover, the leader of the Black Sheep People, Karl Yusuf, was chased up and down by Timur all the way. Even the Black Sheep People's regime was destroyed by Timur twice. Their cities and tribes were burned down, and their people were massacred.

But the Qara Sheep persisted and eventually seized the opportunity to re-establish their regime after Timur's death.

In contrast, the experience of Kara Osman, the leader of the White Sheep people, was much inferior. Although he was also the leader of the Turkmen people, he immediately pledged his loyalty to Timur after the Black Sheep people were defeated.

The reason why he was able to gain the right to rule Diyarbakir was because the Aries followed Timur's army as a vassal army and fought the entire Battle of Ankara. They only got this land as a fiefdom after paying the price of nearly a thousand casualties.

You have to know that the Turkmen people are not just the Black Sheep and White Sheep tribes. The remaining Turkmen people only need to make a little comparison and they will naturally feel that the Black Sheep people are much more upright than the White Sheep people. They are more willing to join the Black Sheep people, and the gap in strength between the two sides is also widened in this way.

Kara Osman watched as the Black Sheep Tribe led by Karl Yusuf became stronger day by day, and even the army of Timur, which was once considered invincible, was defeated by the iron hoofs of the Black Sheep people. Naturally, he was terrified.

Originally, Kara Osman and the garrison on the western border of the Timurid Khanate were watching over each other, and he felt a little more at ease. However, he never expected that due to unexpected turns of events, the Doshite Wanhu actually planned to defect to the Black Sheep People.

Fortunately, the Mongols represented by Qinggelinayan killed the traitor in time, otherwise Diyarbakir would be in danger.

But as the Mughals migrated south en masse to the area centered on Aleppo and confronted the Black Sheep People across the river, life became even more difficult for the White Sheep People.

Now the east and south of Diyarbakir are occupied by the Qara Qara people, and to the west are the Mongolian warlords who only nominally obey the leadership of Kara Osman. Even under the coercion of Timur in the past, those Mongolian warlords only symbolically withdrew a few thousand people to fight with the army.

Kara Osman felt that he lacked the ability and prestige, so he sought help from the Mongolian warlords.

As for the north, there is the dying Empire of Trebizond, which is also facing the threat of the Black Sheep People and is a potential alliance partner.

But Kara Osman felt that the only support he could get from the Empire of Trebizond might be to marry another princess of the Konin dynasty...

Of course, this does not mean that Kara Osman had ever married a princess of the Komnenos dynasty. His power was not strong enough and he did not have this blessing. However, the rulers of the Komnenos dynasty have been pursuing this kind of foreign policy in recent decades, using the marriages of princesses as bargaining chips in political transactions.

In fact, Kara Osman had just heard not long ago that the current ruler of the Komnenos dynasty, Alexios IV, sent people to the Qara ...

So in fact, Kara Osman is now in a state of isolation and helplessness. He is very sure that once the Black Sheep resolve the conflict on the eastern border with the emirs of the Timurid Khanate, they will turn around and completely destroy him and the White Sheep tribe behind him.

Chapter 380: Winning over Aries

The Aries tribe used to be just a tribal alliance with a total population of 70,000 to 80,000 people, and the combined population of men, women, and children could mobilize 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers. But under Kara Osman, the size of the Aries tribe quickly doubled.

For these nomadic people, having a city that can serve as a capital is very important.

With Diyarbakir, they have roots, and the minds of those nomads have settled down. They know that no matter where they go, there is always a place they can call home. The centripetal force alone has raised the Aries tribe to a level different from other Turkmen tribes.

What's more, Diyarbak is a treasure trove. Although it is not as famous as Aleppo and Baghdad in terms of commercial prosperity, it is still a big city with strong walls, towering gates, prosperous palaces, flat streets and numerous shops.

Why did Kara Osman send troops and work hard to fight for Timur? It was so that he could get some leftovers from the conqueror and live a better life.

He did get what he wanted. The palace in Diyarbakir was built during the reign of the Jalair family. It was extremely magnificent and far superior to the tent he had lived in before.

But now the size of the tribe is the limit of what Kara Osman can do. All the forces in this land are facing an embarrassing situation, that is, the population in this vast land is too sparse.

Twenty-three years ago (1385), the ruler of the Golden Horde, Tokhtamysh, led his army to invade Azerbaijan through Dardban and Shirvan. After taking Tabriz, his troops divided into several parts and passed through Marand to Nakhchivan and Siunik. From south to north, they plundered the place and took away 200,000 slaves.

Among these 200,000 slaves were Armenians, Kurds, and Turkmens. Almost all the Black and White Sheep Tribes suffered heavy losses in this battle.

The following year (1386) was the first invasion of Timur. The conqueror Timur captured Nakhchivan and besieged the fortress of Ernjak. All the cities and villages along the way were burned and destroyed.

When the conqueror Timur left, a severe famine ensued. The once fertile land was barren because no one cultivated it, which further caused suffering to the people of the land, resulting in casualties several times greater than those caused by the war, and further undermined the vitality of the Turkmen, Kurds, and Armenians.

Eight years later (1394), the conqueror Timur led his army to set foot on this land again. He entered western Armenia from the northern Mesopotamian Plain, occupied areas including Erzincan and Basen, and repeatedly ravaged the area, turning the area north of Lake Van into almost a blank land.

The conqueror Timur came to this land again, his purpose was just to pass through here and punish Tokhtamysh of the Golden Horde...

Of course, this was not the most tragic experience of this land. The real terror came from the reign of Grand Prince Miran Shah. The conqueror Timur made Miran Shah the governor of this land. His brutal rule began in 1396 and lasted until he was stripped of many titles in Tabriz and his territory was handed over to Khalil.

And at that time, it was only a few years since the death of Timur the Conqueror...

So Hiltberg was actually a little surprised that there were still pro-Timurid forces in this land. After all, both the Conqueror Timur and his son, the cruel Milansha, were characters who could make babies stop crying.

Chapter 381 Signal from Damascus

On December 23, 1408, before the most important Christian festival, Li Rufeng finally received a reply from Captain Gastino Aurelio.

The messenger came on a merchant ship from Cyprus, disguising himself as a businessman who came to Aleppo to inspect the market. He was quite respectful to Li Rufeng in his words.

The content of Gastino's letter was very simple. He hoped that Li Rufeng would send troops to threaten Damascus so that he would have more bargaining chips to persuade the nobles of Cyprus and the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller.

However, Li Rufeng saw through this little trick too clearly. If he sent out his troops first, even if he rode on horseback, it would be difficult to dismount. What's the saying? You may have the right to choose when to start a war, but only the victor has the right to decide when to end it.

The current situation is that Li Rufeng is waiting for the Knights Hospitaller to ask him to start this war. If Li Rufeng first makes a gesture of threatening Damascus, then it will become him begging the Knights Hospitaller to join this war.

A simple change of status, but the final result will be very different.

Li Rufeng simply glanced at the letter and tossed it onto the table. He then said to the messenger, "Go back and tell your master that since he's not ready yet, we can discuss it again next year."

The messenger's expression immediately turned unhappy, but he was still a smart man after all. He knew whose territory this was and the reputation of the Mongols. In the end, he just remained humble, said hello and goodbye to Li Rufeng, and then disappeared into the night.

After the messenger left, Li Rufeng sighed. Compared with the Black Sheep People, he did feel that the Emirs in Damascus were easier to bully, and now was indeed a good opportunity to intervene in the Syrian region.

But it is obvious that Gastino Aurelio's status is still a bit low. He cannot make the decision on such a big matter and needs some fulcrum to pry other big figures into the game.

But he forgot one thing, that after leaving the sea, Li Rufeng was also a big man to him.

He couldn't make his own decisions, so when he needed a fulcrum, why should Li Rufeng help him? You have to know that when Li Rufeng was at sea, he honestly paid for his life to return.

Mr. Li is indeed generous and does not take money seriously, but he is not a fool. How could he do such a stupid thing?

Li Rufeng's plans for cooperation with the Knights Hospitaller had come to an end for now. He wasn't in a rush. As he had said, since the other party wasn't ready, they could discuss it again next year...

However, Li Rufeng was not in a hurry, but someone else was.

The very day after the envoy of Gastino Aurelio left, the envoy from Damascus came with the flag of the Had family hoping to enter the city to meet Li Rufeng. However, because there was a plague in Damascus, the envoy was stopped outside the city of Hama.

"I am the messenger of Sayyid Hud. I come with peace. Tell your master that I am here to negotiate." The messenger riding a tall horse looked at Muzaffar, who was four or five meters away from him, keeping alert and wearing a mask on his face. His expression was as ugly as it could be.

There is indeed a plague in Damascus now, but most of the dead are ordinary people. All of these nobles are... at least most of them remain healthy.

The other party's wary expression somewhat hurt the messenger's self-esteem.

Chapter 382: To Defend Against Foreign Aggression, We Must First Stable Internal Security

"Beautiful! Sir, you are such a great shooter!" In a forest not far outside Aleppo, Jatalehun was flattering Li Rufeng insincerely.

Li Rufeng had just shot a rabbit to death with a bow and arrow at a distance of less than ten meters. Qinggelinayan was very pleased to see that his younger brother had finally learned how to behave.

"You see, I've known for a long time that he's a talented person." Qinggelinayan laughed and patted his brother's shoulder. "It seems you haven't learned nothing in Samarkand."

Jatalehun smiled awkwardly. He still had a bit of youthful pride in his heart, and he still felt a little uncomfortable in this situation.

"Jiatalehun, I'm not laughing at you. I'm sincerely praising you. If your brother Dangertai also knows how to handle his interpersonal relationships, I will be completely relieved." Qinggelinayan sighed and said meaningfully.

He had just received a secret letter not long ago. His confidant in the tribe told him that Dangertai had been very close to Baoledebagen recently. The two had made many appointments to go out hunting together in the past few days. It was obvious that they were planning something.

So, taking advantage of this hunting invitation, Qinggelinayan expressed his concerns to Li Rufeng: "Shaman Rufeng, I hope that for my sake, you can give more opportunities to young people."

"Why do you say that, Lord Yan?" Li Rufeng smiled and said, "Compared to you, I am still a young man."

Li Rufeng admired Qinggelinayan's honesty in front of him, but it didn't mean that he could tolerate what Dangertai was doing.

That young man who was like a little tiger was plotting with Centurion Baoledebagen to assassinate Li Rufeng.

Li Rufeng himself received the news even one day earlier than Qinggelinayan. He was the shaman of Changshengtian, and the belief in Changshengtian had recently set off a wave of revival among the Mongols.

A devout believer of Eternal Heaven, who was at least now very devout, rode his horse at full speed to deliver the information he had to Aleppo before anyone else.

Baoledebagen is encouraging Danggertai to use his connections. Both sides send out ten people each, intending to ambush Li Rufeng along the way while he is out.

Li Rufeng still didn't know which force Baoledebagen represented, but he was at least sure that behind Dangertai there was only a sincere heart that remained as holy as before.

The child lacked education since childhood. Apart from fighting on the battlefield and riding horses, he might even need someone to help him pee to prevent himself from wetting his pants.

After all, Qinggelinayan is not his father but his elder brother, and he is far behind in educating children. Basically, all he has cared about Dangertai over the years is about riding and killing. From this perspective, Dangertai is actually more suitable for the system that Li Rufeng has.

Qinggelinayan was not angry at Li Rufeng's sarcasm. On the contrary, he felt more at ease because Li Rufeng still had the mind to mock him verbally. This proved that Li Rufeng did not intend to do anything extreme.

As Qinggelinayan's strong and sturdy body and impressive martial arts skills gradually became mediocre under the ravages of a hidden disease, he went further and further down the political path.

"I guess Baoledebagen has collaborators in Aleppo, otherwise they wouldn't dare to attack you with only twenty people." Qinggelinayan's eyes were a little gloomy when he spoke, because he could guess who was the person who cooperated with his brother in Aleppo.

Mongke, there will be no one else except him.

He was the first centurion who broke free from Qinggeli Nayan's control. Every time Qinggeli Nayan thinks of him, he will realize that his rule over the Mongols probably started with the departure of Mongke.

Li Rufeng also knew that Centurion Mongke must be among Baoledebagen’s allies.

He still remembered that when they first met, Centurion Mongke made no secret of his ambition and he would definitely not be satisfied with his current power.

But to be honest, Li Rufeng has always admired Mongke. Compared with other Mongol centurions, Mongke is far ahead in terms of knowledge and intelligence.

Mongke was a talented person, but his ambition was always one step ahead of his talent.

So Master Li planned to give him a chance. If Mengge was willing to "surrender" before Baoledebagen and others took action, Master Li would generously let him go and transfer him from the 100-man team he currently controlled to lead the militia.

If he makes a contribution in the future, even if all grudges are settled, he will still have a bright future.

But if...

Li Rufeng sometimes wondered if he had spent too much money to solve problems recently, which gave people a bad impression of being weak, vulnerable and rich. Otherwise, how could a "little character" like Baoledebagen dare to have bad intentions towards him?

This land is really weird. You haven't fought a war for just a month, and some people think you are no longer capable.

So even if there hadn't been any little rebellion tricks by Baoledebagen and his men, Master Li had originally planned to reorganize his army and launch a large-scale sweep in the vicinity.

The proportion of professional soldiers under his command is seriously excessive. In order to maintain a military force of such a scale, he must make these soldiers move and produce benefits.

Of course, this does not mean that he will take the initiative to attack his "good neighbors" to the south or the north. There will always be speculators in this land who are unable to make a living and want to get something for nothing, and there will always be gathering points where people who are brave enough to resist taxes by force will always be there.

So after Li Rufeng cleared out the bandits near Aleppo last time, the surrounding areas became uneasy again within just a few months.

Moreover, with the prosperity that Mr. Li brought to this land, many foreign "dragons from the river" also planned to take this opportunity to have a good meal.

In the past week, Li Rufeng has received at least twelve reports of vicious roadblocks and robberies from passing caravans, so Li Rufeng plans to take advantage of this period of time when there is no major war to thoroughly clean up the area under his control.

Under the rule of Master Li, there could be miners being crushed to death and farmers dying of exhaustion, but no one would be allowed to starve to death or get something for nothing. This was his bottom line - everyone should have the opportunity to earn food through labor, and if not, it was his fault.

Correspondingly, if someone wants to be special and do a business with no capital, but is not hanged on the city wall, it is also his fault.

At the same time, Li Rufeng also planned to take advantage of this rectification movement to register all the people under his rule. This work had been carried out by Muzaffar, but unfortunately it was interrupted by the sudden war. Now it is a good opportunity to pick it up again.

Chapter 383: Reform Pains

"Marcelino!" Inside Aleppo, a group of Armenian militiamen surrounded a tall Armenian man. "Have you heard? The lord wants to count all the Armenians in the city! And register us!"

Marcelino frowned and said with some dignity: "I just came back from outside and haven't heard about this matter yet. Wait a moment, I'll go ask."

He had indeed just returned from outside the city. Two months ago, the Armenian infantry centurion led by Marcelino was transferred by Li Rufeng to garrison near the Southern Reclamation Militia to prevent the militia there from being harassed by refugees coming from Damascus and bandits around. He had just returned today.

Marcelino heard this as soon as he came back, and it was news that frightened him. It was no wonder that the Armenians were suspicious, as they had suffered too much hardship before.

The last time someone tried to register them was when the Mongols marched westward and conquered the Armenian lands. Everyone knows what happened next.

After that, Timur conquered the land and counted the Armenians for the sole purpose of taxation.

"Don't worry for now. I believe the lord won't do that." Marcelino comforted his compatriots, and then went directly to the lord's mansion with questions.

Because the number of military forces under his command is not too large, Li Rufeng gave these centurions the privilege of meeting him directly, and Marcelino now plans to use this privilege.

When Li Rufeng heard the notice from the maid Satuya, he was not surprised at all, because this was the third subordinate he had received in the past two days who had questions about the census.

In fact, the first person to come to see him was Maritan, the tough female warrior village chief.

But at that time, what Maritan wanted to know more was how much tax the village she managed would have to pay every year after it was registered. Maritan, who had no interest in a career in politics, had recently begun to find that managing a village was a burden for her.

In comparison, she would rather be a captain under Li Rufeng. After all, compared to the trivial matters in the village, she is more accustomed to getting paid by her martial arts.

Following Maritan was Saladin Muhet, who was very eager to know the meaning behind Li Rufeng's move.

He knew that he was no match for Li Rufeng in every field, and that the Kurds he represented were in an even more difficult situation than Li Rufeng. There was no room for them to survive either in the land ruled by the Black Sheep People or in the oasis controlled by the Mamluks.

So Saladin used the simplest and most direct method for him. He rushed to Li Rufeng's mansion overnight and asked frankly whether Li Rufeng was planning to annex his tribe.

This made Li Rufeng begin to admire him. He was not afraid of his subordinates. He was ambitious but was afraid that his subordinates had nothing but ambition. In comparison, although this frank way of communication somewhat destroyed the "feelings" between the two parties, it undoubtedly saved a lot of time.

At this stage, Li Rufeng no longer needs to hypocritically show his kindness and generosity to the Kurds. Allowing them to graze on their own land and recuperate is the greatest kindness he can show to the Kurds.

Obviously Saladin also knew this, so after receiving Li Rufeng's negative answer, he patted his chest and assured Li Rufeng that he would definitely cooperate with Li Rufeng's work.

As for Marcelino, his concerns are more down-to-earth: he worries that this is the beginning of a new round of exploitation of Armenians.

After all, most of the Armenians in this city did not come here voluntarily. They just migrated here because they were more worried that the Turkmen would attack them than the Mongols.

"Lord Rufeng, many of my compatriots are worried that you will increase taxes on them after the statistics, and many people are worried..." Marcelino looked at Li Rufeng and did not continue, but it was obvious that both of them understood what Marcelino had not finished saying.

Li Rufeng frowned. He really didn't expect that his order to register would cause such a big response among the people.