Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 134 Surrender, Muhammad, you are unlucky!

After Zhao Shuo captured the Khorasan region, he did not immediately march westward.

He had already learned that Muhammad was gathering a large army in Kejiyun City.

So why worry?
Wouldn't it be better to wait until Jochi gets around to the east of the Caspian Sea and then attack Muhammad from both sides?

Even if Muhammad escaped and joined Jalaluddin, it would not matter. Based on historical records, Zhao Shuo felt that the combination of Muhammad and Jalaluddin would be less than the sum of their parts, and it would be better for Jalaluddin to hold all the power.

Recently, Zhao Shuo has been mainly promoting monogamy in the Khorasan region.

Time was running out, and it was definitely too late to implement the equal-field system. However, monogamy had to be implemented immediately.

Otherwise, Zhao Shuo had worked so hard to make Khorasan an environment where there were more men than women, which would have been a bargain for the men in Khorasan.

He made laws that except for the eight banners of Khorazm and the officials appointed by him, everyone in Khorasan must practice strict monogamy. Not only that, if anyone had an affair with a woman other than his wife, he would be killed without mercy.

Of course, laws need people to enforce them.

Fortunately, upon hearing that Zhao Shuo's army was approaching Khorasan, Zardusht, Zhao Shuo's commercial agent in Persia, hurried over from Baghdad. Not only did he come himself, he also brought a large number of his family members with him.

In fact, there are many members of the Zardusht family in the city of Barihei.

Because, in this era, Balhi was the headquarters of Zoroastrianism.

Zhao Shuo simply appointed a large number of disabled soldiers from the Eight Banners as officials in various cities, and then asked members of Zardusht's family to serve as adjutants to assist in governance.

Even not only Zardusht's relatives, but other Zoroastrian members can be considered. After all, they have all been bullied by the people of the true God, and there is no problem with their loyalty in the short term.

These Zoroastrians serving as officials immediately set a good example.

If Zoroastrians can hold office, why can't we?

Christians also actively approached Zhao Shuo.

Even the wealthy businessmen and scholars among the true God's people offered a large number of beauties and gifts, eager to join the prince consort's army.

Zhao Shuo accepted all the gifts and selected a few gifts from those who presented them and used them if he liked.

After all, it would not be a good thing for him if Zoroastrianism were to dominate the world. It would be better for them to check and balance each other.

The second benefit of Zhao Shuo's kindness to Zardusht was that he received an unexpected guest in Barihei that day.

He was a middle-aged man in his thirties, of medium build. The coarse indigo cloth wrapped around his turban was folded into seven layers at right angles, according to ancient custom, with the edges as straight as if they had been measured. He wore a plain, cross-collared robe woven from black-dyed wool.

At first glance, he seems to be a very clean Barihei civilian.

However, his name has long been known throughout Central and West Asia. He is also known as the "Old Man of the Mountain"!
"Zaldin Hasa pays homage to the great Mongol prince consort."

He raised his right hand to his forehead as he bowed deeply.

This is the highest courtesy that the true God’s people show to the honored ones, the “forehead salute.”

Nature acted as a translator.

"No need to be polite. Get up." Zhao Shuo carefully examined the "old man in the mountains" and said, "Zaldin Hasa, you're quite brave to come down the mountain to see me in person. Tell me, what exactly do you want to do?"

"Old Man in the Mountains" does not refer to a single person, but is a nickname for the leader of the Mulayi Kingdom. The "Old Man in the Mountains" of this generation is Zaldin Hasa in front of us.

The Mulay Kingdom, though called a kingdom, was actually a separatist faction. Their primary sphere of influence was the arc-shaped mountain range surrounding the southern end of the Caspian Sea. Within this mountain range, they possessed fifty or sixty ancient castles, built on the slopes and difficult to attack.

In addition, they have the famous Assassin assassins, so no one dares to provoke them.

Of course, this refers to the time before the Mongols came.

After Zhao Shuo arrived with the Mongolian cavalry and the Eight Banners of the Han Army, the so-called Sun Yat-sen Elders and the Assassins organization were nothing more than larger grasshoppers.

The famous old man in the mountains came to meet the emperor in person.

Zaldin Hasa bowed slightly and said, "First, please allow me to present a greeting."

"What's the gift?"

"It's a knife. This knife was kept out by your loyal guards."

Zhao Shuo looked at Talhun who was standing behind him and said, "Is there a knife? Ask your men to bring it in."

"Yes."

As the scale of the war grew, the Night Owls' usefulness became increasingly diminished. Zhao Shuo simply split the Night Owls into two groups: one group was assigned to Xin Lu's army to gather intelligence, while the other group served as personal guards.

The Black Knight's main task is combat.

In daily life, when it comes to protecting against assassins, we are not as professional as Night Owl.

Taerhun also became the commander of Zhao Shuo's personal guards.

Soon, a guard walked into the room holding a curved knife. He bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness, I have inspected it and it is non-toxic."

"Prince Consort, let me do it."

Despite having already inspected it, Tarhun didn't dare take it lightly. He took the knife, unsheathed it, and examined it carefully. "It seems to be similar in style to the shashir scimitars used by the Khorasan cavalry. Only longer and more curved. The blade appears to be made of Damascus steel, which isn't particularly unusual."

Jaldin Hasa shook his head slightly and said, "It doesn't look that unusual. But it might not be so in practice. I call this kind of knife the Armor-Piercing Shashir Scimitar. Cavalrymen can use it to penetrate heavy armor. My Lord, please send someone to test the power of this knife."

"Armor-piercing Sheshri scimitar?"

After hearing this, Zhao Shuo felt something in his heart.

Before he traveled through time, he had heard of the "Sheshir Scimitar." It was said that this sharp blade could not only penetrate heavy armor, but even sever the enemy's banners with a single blow. In the stories of "One Thousand and One Nights," it was called the "King's Sword," a renowned sword that rivaled the Damascus blade.

It is said that during the Western Expedition, the Mongols obtained this famous sword and used it in Europe, killing the Polish cavalry regiment in tears.

However, when he was fighting in the Khorasan region, he found that many cavalrymen used a knife called "Shashri", but the effect was very mediocre and could not penetrate heavy armor at all.

Could it be that the "armor-piercing Sheshri sword" in the hands of the "old man in the mountain" is the real Sheshri sword?

He ordered, "Let's go out and try it."

"Yes."

Soon, the group arrived at an open area in the city.

A heavy armor draped over a wooden man was placed two hundred steps away.

Tarhun jumped on his horse, raised his armor-piercing Sheshir knife, and urged his horse forward.

By the time it reached two hundred steps, the warhorse's speed had reached its maximum.

"break!"

Chila!

Under the huge impact of the warhorse, with a sharp noise, the heavy armor was actually cut through by Tarhun's sword!

"Good knife!"

Tarhun exclaimed, "It's not uncommon to use heavy axes, heavy armor, or heavy iron swords to break heavy armor, but I've never seen a sword that can break heavy armor, except for the Great Xia Dragon Bird of my husband."

Jalaldin Hasa said, "The Prince Consort's Daxia Dragon Bird is a rare sword from the East. It is definitely sharper than this armor-piercing Shashir scimitar. However, the most precious thing about my sword is that it uses no special materials other than Damascus steel. As long as you follow the pattern, you can make an identical armor-piercing Shashir scimitar."

After a pause, he bowed deeply again and said, "I hope this knife can express my sincerity to the Prince Consort."

Zhao Shuo is now certain that this "armor-piercing Sheshir scimitar" is the "Sheshir knife" he has heard of in later generations.

There’s something about this “old man in the mountains”!

Could it be that it was the "Old Man in the Mountain" who opened the technology tree of the "Armor-Piercing Sheshri Scimitar"?
Something is still wrong.

Historically, it was forty years later that the Mongols destroyed the Eagle's Nest. During the second Western Expedition, they had already used the sharp Sheshir scimitar.

Perhaps it was the "Old Man of the Mountain" who actively spread this technology to counter the heavy armor of the Mongols. In the end, although the Persians achieved some success with their armor-piercing shashil, they ultimately fell to the Mongols. Did the Mongols also acquire the technology to manufacture this weapon?
Zhao Shuo asked, "This armor-piercing Sheshir sword, was it your invention?"

"Your Highness is wise," said Jalal al-Din Hasa. "For the past hundred years, the Persian region has been in turmoil. However, no one dares to invade our Isma'in territory. Therefore, some scholars, seeking refuge from war, have come to the Eagle's Nest and asked for our asylum. Naturally, they will do their part to protect the Eagle's Nest."

Zhao Shuo chuckled and said, "I'm afraid some scholars wouldn't be willing to go to the Eagle's Nest, right?"

Zaldin Hasa did not hide it and said, "For special talents, we will also adopt some special means and we will definitely get them."

After a pause, he bowed deeply again and said, "In short, taking this armor-piercing Sheshir scimitar as an example, we, the Yismain people, are still of some use to the Prince Consort. I wonder if the Prince Consort would allow us to voluntarily submit and join his army?"

"Voluntarily surrender? Why?"

Xin Yu couldn't help but warn, "Prince Consort, beware of a conspiracy. The Mulayi have always been the public enemy of all religions, yet they have stood firm in Persia for hundreds of years. How could they surrender without us even attacking them?"

Jalal al-Din Hasa smiled wryly and said, "My lord, since you know that we have stood firm for hundreds of years despite being surrounded by enemies in Persia, don't you know that when I first ascended the throne, I took the initiative to change my doctrine and recognized the Caliph of Baghdad as the leader? Frankly, I also know that there is no way out for us Isma'ids, who continue to be the public enemy. We must change our ways."

In fact, Zhao Shuo was not very surprised by Zaluddin Hasa's surrender.

Because, whether in historical records or in reality, long before Temujin entered Khwarezm, Jalal al-Din Hasa had written a letter of allegiance.

But neither Zhao Shuo nor Temujin took it to heart.

At such a distance, a letter of allegiance means nothing.

It is very likely that Zal al-Din Hasa first wrote a letter of allegiance to establish a good relationship.

Wait until the Mongolian army arrives, then we will make plans.

According to historical records, Zaldin Hasa died of illness two years later, and never truly submitted to the Mongols until his death, nor did he have any conflict with the Mongols. However, when Zhebe and Subutai passed by Mulayi, they took the opportunity to rob Mulayi.

After Zal al-Din Hasa's nine-year-old son succeeded to the throne, there was no further talk of surrender.

It is impossible to tell whether the letter of allegiance he wrote was sincere or not.

However, now, Zaluddin Hasa took the initiative to come to meet Zhao Shuo, not afraid that Zhao Shuo would kill him or detain him. He also presented him with the armor-piercing Shesher scimitar, which showed enough sincerity.

Zhao Shuo already believed it about 50%.

Zhao Shuo said in a deep voice, "So, you think that we Mongols defeated the Khwarezmians, and their military strength was so strong that they voluntarily surrendered?"

"It's more than just a sharp attack. To be honest, we Yisimayins have strong fortresses, fearless warriors, and sophisticated weapons, so we are somewhat proud of ourselves. However, after knowing the power of the crossbow in your hand, Prince Consort, we realized that our reliance is nothing at all."

"The armor-piercing Sheshir scimitar is just the icing on the cake. Your crossbow is a weapon that can destroy our castles. In front of the prince consort, we have no pride at all."

Zhao Shuo asked, "Have you seen the power of my crossbows?"

"To be honest, in order to find out the strength of the Prince Consort, I sent out ten men to pretend to be dead. In the end, seven of them died in the Prince Consort's massacre. Only three of them pretended to be dead, escaped the disaster, and returned to report to me."

The so-called "dying men" are the soldiers under Jalaluddin Hasa who are carrying out missions that require their death.

"I see."

Only then did Zhao Shuo understand why Zaluddin Hasa gave in so easily.

Bed crossbow!
Historically, the Mongols did not bring such a powerful weapon during their first westward expedition.

It was a simple logic. The purpose of the crossbow could be replaced by a makeshift catapult. The crossbow was too heavy and inconvenient to carry.

Zhao Shuo, in other words, felt that although the bed crossbow was inconvenient to carry, it could be used as long as it was taken down and assembled, which was much faster than repairing a makeshift catapult.

Also, for example, when you encounter a mountain castle like Eagle's Nest, the catapult cannot be moved, and the role of the crossbow is irreplaceable.

In fact, in history, it was not until the third Western Expedition that Guo Kan brought the bed crossbow to Central Asia and completely destroyed the Mulayi Kingdom.

Now that Zaluddin Hasa knows the tremendous power of the crossbow, does he have any other choice except to surrender voluntarily?

Do we have to wait until Zhao Shuo conquers the Mulayi Kingdom and then carry out a massacre?
Jalal-Din Hasa volunteered, "To be honest, the Khwarezmian Sultan, Muhammad, contacted me ten days ago, asking me to assassinate the prince consort. He promised me two provinces after the assassination. However, I know my own limitations."

"The assassination skills of our Ismayin people may seem miraculous. However, the Prince Consort's army does not speak the same language as us, and their appearance is very different. It is simply impossible to get close to the Prince Consort. It is better for us to voluntarily submit to the Prince Consort and become the enemy of Muhammad."

Zhao Shuo shook his head and said, "I can't possibly grant you these places."

Jaldin Hasa quickly said, "We are from the Ismain people. We only want to submit to the prince consort and save our lives. We dare not ask for anything else."

In fact, Zhao Shuo was a little hesitant about whether to keep the Yismain people.

Indeed, the Ismain people not only have countless death warriors, but can also produce sharp weapons such as the armor-piercing Shesher scimitar, which seems to be of great value.

Moreover, it is quite interesting that they first accepted Zoroastrianism and then the Assassins.

However, their claims were too radical.

They believed that Ali, the son-in-law of the god Muhammad, possessed divinity, which would be infused into his successor before his death.

Coincidentally, the "Old Man in the Mountain" is a descendant of Ali.

Therefore, the "Old Man in the Mountain" possesses divinity and should be the Caliph.

Because he possesses divinity, the old man in the mountain will never make mistakes.

All his commands must be obeyed.

Anyone who dies while carrying out the orders of the old man in the mountain will go to heaven after death.

What is it like to go to heaven?

The "Old Man of the Mountain" selects young men between the ages of twelve and twenty and trains them to become excellent assassins. Then, they are drugged and sent to a fake paradise, where fine wine, delicious food, and even the finest jewels are available, allowing these young people to enjoy the best of the world. Three days later, they are drugged and sent out, told that this is paradise.

From that time on, these young men had been looking forward to carrying out the Old Man of the Mountain's orders to die so they could go to Heaven.

This is how the famous Assassins came into being.

This brainwashing method of training assassins is more radical than any other sect, so it has become a public enemy.

Zhao Shuo remained silent, saying, "Your actions are too extreme. I had no intention of keeping you. But since you've surrendered, I can't deny you a chance. Here's how: if you can perform great deeds for me and revise the doctrine to my satisfaction, you can live."

Zhao Shuo's bluntness towards Jalaldin Hasa was due to his knowledge that the Assassins were powerless against the Mongol cavalry. Historically, the Mongols had razed fifty or sixty of their clifftop fortresses, uprooting them and utterly wiping them out of history. This time, Zhao Shuo brought with him not only the Mongol cavalry but also the Hebei Supermen. How could they possibly resist?
So it’s okay to be tough.

"It's good to have your words, Prince Consort!"

Jaldin Hasa breathed a sigh of relief. An assassin wouldn't be able to do anything against the overwhelming might of the Mongol army; surrender would be the best option.

He has secretly made up his mind to do something big!
Mahmud, you are unlucky!

(End of this chapter)