Mount and Blade Central Asia

What is the difference between gold and ordinary stones?

All of this is simply artificially assigned value, giving it a universally recognized social value. If it is not transformed into real wealth and power, this gold is just a pile of beautiful stones...

Li Rufeng persuaded himself again and again in his mind, and finally closed the box with force.

Then he checked each box one by one. In addition to gold, there were also various gems, pearls, and exquisitely carved bronzes in the boxes. If Li Rufeng guessed correctly, these treasures might be the wealth collected by Maharaja Milansha.

He had led his troops to destroy that city once before, and even the mosque was not spared. There were still a few lifelike little golden figures in the box...

As for the smaller boxes, they contained fragile glass and crystal products. Li Rufeng even saw a crystal clear crystal pot. Just by looking at it, he knew how priceless it was.

Make a fortune... Make a fortune!

That crystal pot is a heirloom made by the Fatimid dynasty. Some of them have even been passed down to later generations and are on display in the Louvre. Li Rufeng happened to have seen this thing!

Even in this day and age, this treasure is still priceless.

What is certain is that it is unlikely that he would take these treasures away from the secret passage in the mountains now. Even if Li Rufeng has enough prestige now, Jatalehun and other Mongols will definitely tell Qinggelinayan that Li Rufeng took out several large boxes from the city of Mardin. And once they see that those boxes are used to hold treasures, it is impossible to hide it.

So, leave them here for now.

"Let's go. Now is not the time to take them away." Li Rufeng sighed to Haishar, then took the initiative to leave these treasures.

"You're not bad." Haishar witnessed the subtle changes on Li Rufeng's face throughout the whole process, and developed a little respect for this shaman from the East.

As a knight of the Eagle of Order, although Haishar has never taken a vow of poverty, he has been walking on the edge of life and death for many years. At the intersection of reality and illusion, he has long reached a state of not being happy with material things.

Money means nothing to Haishar. If his willpower was not strong enough, he would have fallen in the battles with the believers of the Four Wind Gods.

"External things

, it’s not worth mentioning.” Li Rufeng replied in an enigmatic manner.

Then, Brother Mengjiang's words broke Li Rufeng's defense: "Aren't you fighting with Duo Si Te right now? How about I help you kill Duo Si Te?"

?

Li Rufeng looked at Haishar in confusion. What's the matter? Persians are not considered meat in your place?

"These black wizards all come from the Black Sheep Dynasty. We've received news before that the Black Sheep Sultan secretly received support from the followers of the Four Wind Gods. Now we can confirm it." Haishar took a plaque from the Turkmen warrior's body. The palm-sized wooden plaque bore an oppressive black sheep's head. "This is the plaque of the palace guards of Sultan Karl Yusuf."

"No, I'm not interested in any connection between them and the Four Wind Gods. I mean, how do you plan to kill Dosite?" Li Rufeng asked seriously. He suddenly realized that Brother Mengjiang's plan was very feasible.

First of all, if it comes to single combat, can the city of Ququmardin find a warrior like Haishar?

Li Rufeng felt that it was unlikely. He couldn't say it so absolutely, because in the battle when the brave general brother Menghu came down the mountain, he also saw a two-meter-five-tall heavily armored knight in the closed ring created by Parisa... That thing might not be able to defeat Sandezi's Tiger tank, but it should not be a problem to take away Xiao Rizi's Type 94 "Dou" tank with one charge.

Therefore, in terms of high-end combat power, Li Rufeng's side has the advantage.

Secondly, to take the head of an enemy general in a large army requires not only a brave and invincible spearhead, but also a sufficiently elite group of soldiers as spear shafts. Li Rufeng felt that his personal guards, under the influence of his spiritual wisdom and the effect of morale, could be worth ten to a hundred.

What's more, there are more than 30 people like Jatalehun in this city, including people from the river. They are real cavalry!

A night attack requires elite troops. Without elite troops, this kind of battle cannot be fought. Compared with Doshite, their biggest advantage is that they have more elite soldiers. The herdsmen among the Mongol people are more elite than the ordinary soldiers under Doshite!

"I know the structure of the Mardin castle. There's a large open balcony. Every morning, you can overlook the entire city of Mardin and the plains at the foot of the mountain. It's a view you'll never forget once you see it." Haishar smiled confidently. "Dost lives in the castle. I can break in."

Yes, there is no need for further follow-up. The brave general has already broken in, and those scum inside are probably just there to help him have fun. Dosite is definitely dead.

"Do you have a good chance of success?" Li Rufeng asked a nonsense question. Assassination operations have never been about success rate. What matters is whether to advance or not.

"Even if I fail, I am confident that I can escape." Haishar patted his weapons and bow and arrow. He had undergone training that ordinary people could hardly imagine, and had fought monsters that ordinary people had never seen even in their nightmares. He was very confident in this kind of battle that was like an adult fighting a child.

"Okay, let's make a bet!" Li Rufeng took a last look at the treasure in the box, and called on his personal guards to cover the entrances one by one. Then he left two personal guards to take care of the injured personal guard and asked them to hide nearby.

As for those weak sacrifices, Li Rufeng told them not to run around tonight because there was going to be a war outside, and to leave after daybreak, and then he left them alone.

At this time, it was no longer snowing outside. The heavy rain became the best cover for Li Rufeng and his men, covering up most of the footsteps and allowing them to return to the warehouse where the secret passage was safely.

"Jiatalhun! We're not going to attack the city gates! Let's kill that bastard Dost! Now!"

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The author says:

Author's Note: There are currently seven Fatimid crystal jars in existence. They are hollowed out and carved from a single piece of crystal stone and are among the few precious relics of the Fatimid dynasty that have survived to this day.

Chapter 145 Wet Work

Doste stood on her large open balcony, reaching out to feel the cool raindrops outside, her face expressionless.

Ever since a lot of trivial things about the Mongols appeared in his mind, Doste no longer had any expectations for those black wizards who believed in the blue wind. Just like now, the promised snowfall turned into rain, and he felt no emotion at all.

After all, they had taken the money but not done the job before. Duosite clenched her fists, turned around and put the matter behind her.

His goal of delaying the Mongol siege had been achieved. It was now dark, and the heavy snow in the previous few hours had made the ground slippery enough. If the Mongols had any brains, they would not have launched a rash attack at this time.

It’s good that it’s raining now. Those Mongols have a cannon, but now that it’s raining heavily, the cannon must have become useless.

The real tough battle is estimated to start from the day after tomorrow or even the day after tomorrow. The Mongols have to wait until the ground is dried up before they can officially start the siege, but it is estimated that the cannons will start bombarding the city walls on time tomorrow morning.

If the war was conducted in a normal way, with the two sides having almost equal military strength, the side defending the city of Mardin should have a 100% chance of winning. However, even Dost was not confident in his subordinates.

The Persian soldiers had little confidence.

This is also the reason why he wants to hold on to the Armenians tightly. Except for a small number of private soldiers kept by Dost all year round, only the Armenians in the city can be called qualified soldiers.

Dost sat at her desk, playing with a silver wine glass in her hand. The glass contained wine from the Fergana Valley. It was said that the Sogdians there had learned to make wine from grapes a thousand years ago.

He drank the bright red wine in the glass, as if savoring the flavor left by time.

This was a gift from the envoy of the Black Sheep People. Maharaja Miranshah, along with his youngest son Abu Bakr, personally led an army of 20,000 to the town of Sarderud outside Tabriz to fight the Black Sheep People. However, they lost the first battle, which greatly boosted the morale of the Black Sheep People.

This bottle of wine was a gift sent by the Black Sheep messenger to stabilize Dost. Along with the messenger came a letter written to him by Sultan Karl Yusuf himself.

In the letter, the Sultan expressed his appreciation to Dost, and promised that Dost would always have a place in the revived Black Sheep Dynasty. He also said that he would continue Timur's policy towards Persia, and continue to use Persians, let them serve as officials, and be responsible for regularizing the tax system of the Black Sheep Dynasty.

And Dost will become the spiritual leader of all Persians. It is hoped that he can withstand the pressure and not succumb to the evil of the Mongols. Once the Black Sheep Dynasty resolves its grievances with the Milansha family, they will send an army to eliminate those evil Mongols.

Doste took out the letter and read it again. After drinking half a glass of wine, she looked slightly tipsy and relaxed.

If Milan Shah fails to conquer Tabriz, the Khanate's influence will no longer affect this land. The Black Sheep Dynasty will become the new master here, and he, Dost, has already placed his bet in advance and won!

His status will rise again, from a Wan Hu who was insulted as a bastard to a real big man!

...

However, just when Doste was having fun, Li Rufeng had already started to quietly head towards the castle at the highest point of the mountain with his personal guards and several guides.

As for Haishaer, he left everyone behind and set off alone. No one knew where he was at the moment, but just by looking at the way Mengjiangxiong jumped over eaves and walls when he left, Li Rufeng knew that he was definitely not a novice.

After not seeing Haishar for a long time, Li Rufeng finally remembered the Alamut Castle in the Alborz Mountains that the other party always talked about. Wasn’t it the lair of the old man Hassan in the mountains?

This famous assassin organization has attempted to assassinate Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, many times in history. Although they failed in the end due to the tight defense, they still scared Saladin.

During the Third Crusade, the power of the Assassins reached its peak. They constantly maneuvered between the Crusader states and Muslim countries, almost going crazy with murderous intent. Countless people were assassinated for blocking their way, and they became famous for a while.

Until later, this group of daring assassins attacked the Mongols on their way to the west, and then they were beaten by Tore.

Then, the Assassins organized a 400-man assassination team to assassinate the Mongol Khan Mongke in Khorin, but unfortunately they failed...

When the vengeful Mongols launched their second westward expedition, Hulagu, the leader of the army, sent his trusted general, Qaidu Buhua, to attack the Assassins' stronghold, Alamut Fortress. The person specifically in charge of this siege was Guo Kan, known as the General of the East Sky.

In the end, this assassin kingdom, which had dominated Central Asia for more than two hundred years and had not been a real threat to several dynasties, was destroyed in this battle.

In the official Mongolian records of the time, the Assassins were called the Murashi. It was not an organization, but was regarded as an independent kingdom, the Murashi Kingdom (Note 1).

It is also unknown what the connection is between the Eagle of Order and the Assassins, because the nickname of Alamut Castle is Eagle's Nest.

Li Rufeng and Jatalehun agreed that once a fire broke out in the Mardin Castle, it would mean that they had succeeded. Jatalehun must bring his soldiers and the people of Hezhong to create chaos in the city and find an opportunity to open the city gates.

At this time, Qinggelinayan's camp was too far away from the city of Mardin. Even if the person sent back by Jatalehun for the second time to report the news could return to the camp safely, it would be difficult for the army to catch up in time. The only one they could rely on was the soldiers of Li Rufeng's army.

Li Rufeng deliberately left some of his personal guards in the army and told Habashibuhua to unconditionally trust the judgment of those personal guards, just for times like this.

He assured Jatalehun that as long as the city gates were opened, his men would arrive before they could hold out.

Although Jialalhun was full of confusion, Li Rufeng attributed all this to the will of Changshengtian, so Jialalhun had nothing to say. If he said more, it would be questioning the sacredness of Shaman Rufeng.

Having just witnessed the same strange thing as Shaman Rufeng in the monastery, and before that, he saw with his own eyes Shaman Rufeng and his guards angrily slaying evil spirits in Urfa Castle. Jatalehun's respect for Shaman Rufeng had surpassed that of his own brother.

So Jiatalhun dared not disobey Li Rufeng's order.

Ling had no choice but to grit his teeth and go ahead with it.

...

Early morning of December 1408, 4.

Haishaer was like a nimble big cat, climbing up layer by layer on the roofs of houses under the cover of night.

The city of Mardin, built on the mountain like steps, seemed too convenient for people like Haishar. He could see at night, and the complex terrain around him became his best friend.

The sound of raindrops falling covered up his footsteps which were originally negligible. Haishar even jumped up and climbed over the wall of Mardin Castle in front of a patrol. The soldiers in the patrol were shivering with cold in the rainy night and heard nothing.

This was not the first time that Haishar had done sneak assassination. There was a group of assassins in Eagle Castle who specialized in this kind of "wet work". Because many believers of the Four Wind Gods were high-ranking nobles, they often exchanged their skills with each other, and Haishar benefited a lot every time.

Tonight, the "wet work" has become real wet work. Haishar has entered the castle and found a secluded corner in the kitchen to fold his wet cloak and put it aside. He also took off his boots and quietly placed them next to the campfire to dry the moisture to prevent leaving wet footprints on the ground to expose his whereabouts.

Although there were two servants secretly sleeping in the kitchen, he still felt as comfortable as if he were back home.

Brother Mengjiang swaggered around the kitchen and ate some bread and bacon. Tonight's stew was cabbage, carrots, and onions. The spices were generous and the flavor and smell were good, but the color was a bit ugly after solidifying.

After hesitating for a while, Haishar decided to be nicer to himself. He took a wooden bowl from the sleeping servant, moved the stew pot to the campfire, cut the bacon into small pieces with a knife and threw it into the pot, and cut the bread into vertical strips and placed them at the bottom of the bowl.

After a while, the stew pot was heated again. Because of the addition of bacon, the flavor was much stronger than before. Brother Mengjiang used a long-handled wooden spoon to scoop himself a large bowl and started to eat it with relish.

"What's that smell? It's so fragrant?" A servant was stimulated by the smell of pepper, rubbed his eyes and looked up.

But Haishar was right beside him. He simply put his arm around the other's neck and exerted a little force for a few seconds, and the servant fell limp silently, breathing deeply as if he was fast asleep.

"Shh, you didn't smell or see anything." Haishar considerately put the servant back to his original position, quickly finished his midnight snack, put on his dry boots, and made sure that there would be no extra noise when walking before leaving with satisfaction.

Haishar still chose to sneak in from the outer wall. The not-so-smooth stone wall became his best sneak route, and the large room with a balcony where Dosite was located was too obvious a target. He moved up along the wall like a big gecko, and soon his hands touched the edge of the balcony. Then he exerted force with his arms and gently pulled himself up with just finger and arm strength.

A few seconds later, Haishar was already standing in front of the balcony where Dost had previously overlooked the entire city. He took a deep breath and frowned: "The smell of blood? Looks like there will be some surprises tonight."

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The author says:

Author's words: Note 1 - This religious sect is known as the Assassins in the West, and is called "Mulayi" in Chinese historical records. It is a transliteration of the Arabic word al-mura'i or mulahid, meaning "false Confucianism" or "heretic" or "lost". It is the name given to local believers by orthodox Muslims. Its founder, Hassan ibn Saba, is also the old man in the mountains "Huoshan" mentioned many times by Mr. Jin Yong in his martial arts novels.

The Mulayi regime was controlled by a group known as the "Knowers of Secrets." Its core force was called the "Fidai," meaning "Dedicated Life." Upon reaching a certain age, the fidai were forced to consume a bowl of anesthetic wine. Then, in a daze, they were taken to a magnificent palace. There, they were treated to countless delicacies and amassed mountains of gold and jewels, spending a week in a state of drunken debauchery.

When the time came, they were once again given medicinal wine and, while unconscious, brought back to the cold reality. The stark disparity between dream and reality left these young assassins feeling a profound emptiness. Then, the "Knower of Secrets" revealed to the Fida'i that they had arrived at a place called "Heaven," a beautiful world reserved for those who dedicated themselves to the Mulayi. Only by sacrificing their lives for the organization could they reside in this paradise forever after death.

According to Tuji's "Mongol History", "(Eagle Fort) is surrounded by battlements,

A canal was dug beside the village, diverting the Basar River to form a semi-circle around it. Orchards were planted extensively around the village, interspersed with flower gardens, creating a mountain city of its own.

According to Hong Jun's "Yuanshi Yiwen Zhengbu", "The areas they occupied were all in mountain passes, in the Caspian and Nanshan Mountains, narrow from north to south and long from east to west, about five to six hundred miles, with many of these people living in forts."

According to rumors, at the height of their power, the Assassins even directly threatened Saladin of the Ayyubid dynasty and King Edward I of England, and even demanded protection money from the German emperor...

By the way, although the Muqiyi were wiped out by the Mongols, the Assassins did not break off their lineage. To this day, the Old Man in the Mountain has passed on his tradition to 49 generations...

Chapter 146: Missed Strike and Unexpected Encounter

Haishar walked into Dost's room from the balcony. As a ruler who ruled over tens of thousands of people, Dost's life was not luxurious. There were no soft carpets, no jewelry to show wealth, and no large collection of books.

On the contrary, everything here seems very ordinary.

An ordinary wooden chair, a table with patterned decorations, and niches for candlesticks on both sides of the wall make the room look very neat.

But Dost was not here, and there was still some unfinished wine on the table. Haishar walked up, picked up the bottle and smelled it, then picked up the wine glass and looked at the remaining traces of wine in the glass, confirming that Dost was still here half an hour ago.

Haishar checked the letters at the desk. As a knight of the Eagle of Order, he was both civil and military. In terms of his mastery of writing and language, he was better than the shaman Li Rufeng. At least he could understand the letters on Dosite's desk.

So he quickly put the only valuable letter from the envoy of the Black Sheep Dynasty into his arms, thinking that there was no need to be too polite to the dead.

The reason why Haishar was willing to kill Doste was because he could not accept that those in power were willing to offer civilians as sacrifices in exchange for benefits from the believers of the Four Wind Gods.

Regarding the Eagle of Order's research on the Four Wind Gods, believers from all sides are very keen on using blood sacrifices in exchange for power, and among them, the believers of the Scarlet Wind are the most enthusiastic about this blood sacrifice.

Miracles come at a price, and for believers of the Four Winds, that price is mortal life.

Dost knew this very well, but still allowed the dark wizards to massacre civilians in exchange for this snowstorm. In the eyes of the members of the Eagle of Order, only death could make up for the mistakes he had made.

Haishaer looked around in the room, leaned against the door and heard breathing sounds on both sides outside. They should be Dosite's guards. Haishaer frowned. Normally, a lord like Dosite should have fallen asleep at this time, otherwise it would be difficult for him to maintain enough energy for the next day.

The more a side is surrounded, the more the commander cannot show signs of fatigue, otherwise the generals and soldiers below will be worried. After all, even the master above can't sleep all night. Is it because the war situation is not optimistic?

Haishaer listened quietly behind the door for a full ten minutes, but did not hear any other movement coming from outside the door. He gradually became anxious.

After all, he wasn't one of those master assassins; he was a knight. He was confident he could instantly subdue the guards outside the door, then single-handedly carve a bloody path through the chaos. However, finding Dost remained a question...