Mount and Blade Central Asia

Chapter 610 Old Mendicant

Compared to Aleppo, Erbil Castle is much smaller in area, but it can be seen that this castle was built entirely for war.

The entire castle was built on the only high ground in the entire plain. The high ground is not large and not very high, but the foundation of the city wall is still more than three meters above the average altitude, turning Erbil Castle into a highland castle that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Although there was no moat due to the lack of water nearby, a deep trench was dug outside the city wall, filled with sharpened wooden stakes.

On the one hand, it can increase the difficulty of the attackers, and on the other hand, it can prevent people from launching sneak attacks from underground by digging tunnels.

Another advantage of the lack of a water system is that, apart from a few wells in the castle, the besiegers would have to walk several kilometers to get water. This is also the reason why the Iranians were willing to withdraw so quickly.

For every extra day they stayed here, twice as many civilians would be needed to transport supplies to the rear, and fresh water was the most difficult to supply.

In several nearby villages, people have died of thirst because of the Iranians' predatory water grabbing.

Although it is summer now, some people have died of thirst in this year with abundant rainfall. This is enough to show how these Iranians, who are still nominally loyal to the Timurid Khanate, view this land.

Like the Black Sheep and previous conquerors, they see themselves only as conquerors in terms of geography, not as...rulers.

The walls of Erbil Castle are very high. Perhaps from the moment it was built, it has never had its true owner.

Thousands of years ago, this place was already one of the important areas of human activity. The Assyrians and Amorites fought endlessly here, the Greeks and Persians also shed blood here, as did the Arabs, Turks, Mongols, and so on.

Li Rufeng rode his horse past the sturdy city wall. The main building he saw now could be traced back to the Sassanid era. Some Zoroastrian-style murals and carvings were still vaguely preserved on the city gate.

It's a wonder the military commanders stationed here over the years didn't clear all of this stuff out. I'm afraid even missionaries and mendicants wouldn't bother to preach in such a purely military fortress.

But after entering the door, Li Rufeng found that he had guessed wrong, because there was still a small mosque standing in the small living area of ​​the castle.

The dervish monk who manages the mosque stood at the temple gate, greeting the new owner of the castle with a humble demeanor, though his clothes were a bit simple...

Well, Li Rufeng couldn't find a more appropriate word without any derogatory connotation to describe the other person. After all, what the other person was wearing was more like a sack than clothes, which barely covered the torso. The only advantage was that it was more convenient for going to the toilet.

"That mendicant monk is a little bit crazy..." Saiyibu whispered to Li Rufeng, pointing his finger at his temple and rolling his eyes while speaking, implying that the mendicant monk was crazy.

"May Allah bless you, my child, you are pious!" Although the old mendicant was dressed in a mess, his hair and beard were carefully groomed. He stood in front of the mosque with a majestic look, which was quite intimidating.

At least most of the soldiers passing by him maintained respect and subconsciously slowed down their pace to accept each other's blessings.

In this land, Christians and Muslims have been fighting for so many years. If one side had not launched the trend of "political correctness and religious correctness", the two sides would not be so irreconcilable among the people.

At least the mosque and the church have been respected by each other and recognized the concept of each other's sacred land.

Without the intervention of the ruler, you would rarely see soldiers actively burning the sacred land of their enemies, or wantonly plundering and killing clergy.

Well, in this regard, the Mongols were relatively natural. They treated mosques and churches equally, even though many of them were Muslims themselves. Enemies and conquerors in a military sense always came before faith.

This is also one of the main reasons why the great conqueror's army was built around Mongols of bloodline and mixed-race Mongols.

Judging from his gray beard and hair, and the wrinkles on his face, the old mendicant must be at least sixty years old, a rare longevity in this era. Like the great conqueror himself, he was an auspicious sign whose longevity alone exempted him from paying homage to the nobles.

But when the other person spoke, his voice sounded much younger, more like that of a middle-aged man.

“May Allah bless you too, my brother the People of the Book (Note 1).” The old mendicant monk watched Li Rufeng approach and stretched out a hand in the air waiting.

For some reason, Li Rufeng felt a sense of familiarity when he saw him, as if he had seen... an old shaman.

So he dismounted and stood in front of the old mendicant, hesitating for a moment. Then, as if possessed by a ghost, he lowered his head and let the other put his hand on his head.

When Saib saw this scene, he opened his mouth in surprise and then hurriedly got off his horse. After him, all the other mounted officers also dismounted and stood there respectfully.

"I see the color of the sky in you. May the mercy of Eternal Heaven remain forever, and prevent war from raging on this land." A trace of sadness flashed in the old mendicant's eyes. He helped Li Rufeng up and said, "Since this light now belongs to you, it means that my old friend has returned to his soul, correct?"

"Yes, my teacher... has been dead for five years. His soul rests in eternal peace and joy on the grasslands of Changshengtian." Li Rufeng said respectfully, and then asked curiously, "Have you met my teacher before?"

"We have met once before and we both recognize each other's paths." The old mendicant monk looked at Li Rufeng and smiled with some satisfaction.

Li Rufeng always felt that the other person's eyes seemed to pass through him directly, looking at a deeper and farther place.

"The wanderer from afar has finally found his home in this strange and confusing land. This is a good thing... this is a good thing." The old mendicant reached out and touched Li Rufeng's cheek again with a hint of pity. "I wish you success in this land. May your success bring peace to this land."

"Um, I..." Li Rufeng felt a little uneasy at the look from the mendicant monk, but the words he said were indeed kind. "Thank you, Master."

"This is my shelter. Everyone can come here. There are no taboos." The old mendicant monk didn't want to say anything more. He took a step back and looked at Sai Yib behind Li Rufeng and said meaningfully, "Including you. This is everyone's resting place and refuge. There are no taboos."

Saib's face suddenly turned ugly.

Chapter 611 He is incomprehensible

In the end, Li Rufeng never found out the mendicant's name. He only knew that the old man had been preaching here like a madman long before the great conqueror's army conquered this land.

Under his management, the mosque was more like a veterinary hospital than a mosque. Previously, if the cattle, sheep, horses, camels, and even poultry raised by nearby herdsmen were sick, they could come to him. The consultation fee was just an egg, two handfuls of wheat, a handful of beans or other daily necessities.

It was precisely because of this decent medical skill that several garrison officers who conquered this place maintained respect for the mosque.

Of course, not many people listened to his preaching.

Because in the next few days, Li Rufeng knew why Saib said that the beggar monk had some problems with his brain. He should be a little schizophrenic, or he was deliberately pretending to be crazy.

According to Li Rufeng's observation, the old mendicant monk was only barely a normal person at dusk every day.

"Oh? It's you again..." The disheveled old mendicant monk looked down at his naked appearance, as if he was used to such dishevelment, and slowly put on the cloth bag that could hardly be called clothes.

Although the clean clothes offered by Li Rufeng were next to the cloth bag, the old man didn't even look at them.

"Don't worry, I'm used to it." As he said, the old man skillfully took out a wooden comb and began to comb his tangled hair and beard in a hurry.

Li Rufeng watched all this with a frown. He had been observing the old man all day.

He was fighting with the horses for water in the stable this morning. If those war horses were not well-trained, they would have been kicked out by the old man long ago.

At noon, the old man was planting vegetables in the small yard behind the mosque with his bare butt like a madman. When he was hungry, he would just eat a bite from the messy food he had stored.

The old man sang loudly in the mosque throughout the afternoon in an unknown language that neither Li Rufeng nor the officers around him could understand.

"When we met before, you said you knew my teacher. I want to know your name and identity, and why you..." Li Rufeng pointed to the messy and definitely not decent environment around him and asked doubtfully.

"I don't know." The old monk's eyes flashed with many thoughts, but there was absolutely no regret or sadness. He thought seriously for a few minutes like a child before speaking frankly, "To be honest, I have some impression of you, but that's all. I don't know my name, or how we met, or your teacher. If I said anything to you before, I'm sorry, but I can't remember what I said."

The old mendicant pointed to his head nonchalantly. "Sometimes... no, most of the time it doesn't work very well. I have to finish everything I need to do today while I'm not so confused."

"Uh, don't you remember what you said to me before?" Li Rufeng found it hard to believe that the old mendicant monk who had almost made him bow down before had gone so crazy. Out of gratitude to the old shaman, he came with the mentality of loving the old man as well as the people in him.

What's more, since the other party is acquainted with the old shaman, he is likely to have deep knowledge of the path of miracle power.

The result... what a pity. Li Rufeng doesn't care about having another madman under his command to feed him. Moreover, although this old man is crazy, he is not annoying. It's just that he doesn't like to wear clothes, which is a bit unsightly. But when the time comes, he can just send someone to follow him.

"Follow me from now on, I'll find someone to take care of you." Li Rufeng reached out and took the other's wooden comb covered with starch, and began to comb the old man's hair.

"Follow you? I won't go. I can't leave here." The old mendicant monk rejected Li Rufeng without hesitation, muttering to himself, "I can't leave. Yes, I can't leave. I have to stay here!"

"Why do you want to stay here?" Hearing the old mendicant monk say this, Li Rufeng subconsciously became alert and looked at this small but well-equipped mosque with suspicion.

He had experienced too many things related to the power of miracles and the God of the Four Winds, especially the magic sword in his hand that had been sealed in a church before, and it was strangely on fire. The origin of this old man was so mysterious, and what was wrong with his brain? Could there be something suppressed underneath?

"You specifically said before that my subordinate Saiyi Bu could also come here. Is there anything special about him? Do you still remember him?" Li Rufeng glanced at the guards guarding the door, and then confirmed his location through the guards following Saiyi Bu before asking.

Ever since the old beggar had specifically emphasized Saiyibu before, Li Rufeng began to pay attention to this "rising star" under his command.

After all, Saiyibu's way of coming to prominence was a bit too...shocking, which made Li Rufeng feel a bit guilty. He was worried that he couldn't control such an ambitious subordinate, and he was also worried that he had the support of other forces behind him.

"He smells evil. I don't like his smell," the old dervish said, wrinkling his nose. "I like your smell. It's the fresh smell of the soil being turned over after the rain."

Hearing the old shaman say this, Li Rufeng subconsciously took a half step back, only to be grabbed by the sleeve by the old mendicant monk. The old mendicant's skinny body contained a strength far beyond his appearance, making Li Rufeng unable to move.

"You are collaborating with evil. I smell it. It's very dangerous. Never think you can control this kind of power. You will fail." The old mendicant put his nose close to Li Rufeng and sniffed, his brow furrowed. "I tried to understand and realize it, but He cannot comprehend. You..."

The old beggar was halfway through his words when he suddenly froze in place. When he looked up again, his eyes regained their childlike innocence. He looked at Li Rufeng with a smile, as if wondering why he had grabbed him. He simply let go of his hand and jumped away happily, leaving Li Rufeng standing there.

Li Rufeng suddenly felt that this mosque was a little weird, as if there was a demon hiding in the corner and in the shadows. His mind was full of the words the other party had said before.

“I have tried to understand, to realize, but He is incomprehensible…”

"Seal this place off and find two people to look after the mendicant monk on a daily basis. Don't let him starve to death, and don't let him run around." Li Rufeng hurriedly walked out of the mosque, looked back at the old man who was digging the soil crazily, and shuddered.

"Let...Saib come to see me again." Li Rufeng gave the final order.

Chapter 612 I am not evil, sir

To be honest, Li Rufeng did not initially link Saib with the belief in the Blue Wind. After all, you have to allow your subordinates to have abilities and dreams. He may have just not had the right opportunity before.

But if Li Rufeng still held on to this idea after the old beggar's suggestion, then he would be a little too slow-witted.

Although the old mendicant monk was half crazy and could not even remember his own name, Li Rufeng had a high degree of trust in him because of the old shaman.

In addition, in just two days, Li Rufeng secretly met with several officers and soldiers in the Badak Thousand Man Team, all of whom were familiar with Saiyib. According to these people's descriptions, Saiyib was the kind of person who was taciturn and conservative, but reliable at critical moments.

His sudden rise to fame and the fuss he made surprised even these old friends.

Under Li Rufeng's direct order, Saiyib soon appeared in Li Rufeng's camp inside the castle.

Erbil Castle is a castle with hundreds of years of history. It has experienced countless bitter battles. Various war-related arrangements inside it have long been perfected. Even if the king is temporarily stationed here, it has sufficient specifications to accommodate him.

Of course, most of the rooms here are empty in peacetime. It is said that when war is far away from this place, many rulers will open this fortress to a limited extent to allow passing caravans and travelers to rest.

If you look carefully here, you will also find some abandoned civilian facilities, from taverns to casinos, but unfortunately they are all left in the past.

"You want to see my lord? Is it because of what that mendicant monk said?" Saiyi Bu looked at the guards who were still standing behind him with no intention of retreating, and asked Li Rufeng.

Li Rufeng sat in his seat, looking at Sai Yibu who remained silent and unyielding, and asked in a low voice, "Have you ever heard of the Azure Wind?"

Saib was silent for several minutes, and Li Rufeng waited patiently for this "hero" to give him a satisfactory answer.

He should be well aware that this could very well be the moment that determines his life or death.

Li Rufeng is not intolerant. Even if he is a dark wizard in the literal sense, Li Rufeng has to accept him for the development of his territory.

Those people are now in the city of Mosul. Saib has seen them before. Although those black wizards are all under the supervision of Li Rufeng's personal guards and their personal freedom is restricted, Li Rufeng is already magnanimous enough.

For this reason, Li Rufeng even had some disputes with the Eagle of Order organization behind Haishar.

Apart from that unpleasant first meeting, Li Rufeng has never seen any member of the Eagle of Order other than Haishar in Mosul until now.

Even though Li Rufeng knew very well that those people were right under his nose, his men could not find any clues.

When it comes to hiding skills, these Eagles of Order are really superb. After all, they were even able to hide in the city of Mosul, which was controlled by the dark wizards in the dream kingdom.

Of course, from Li Rufeng's perspective, they may have learned lessons from the Mamluk Kingdom.

The Mortal Kingdom, with whom they had the deepest cooperation and the one they trusted the most, betrayed them without hesitation, and also bloodily cleansed out all the strongholds of the Eagle of Order in the territory, causing serious damage to this ancient organization.

Through the contact with Haishar during this period, Li Rufeng had a rough psychological understanding of the Eagle of Order organization.

This organization does have a mysterious origin and lofty and glorious ambitions, but the power it has accumulated over the years is definitely not as powerful as Haishar described. Haishar is a relatively "simple" warrior, and many of the things he thinks are too idealistic.

Li Rufeng had previously felt that such a high-ranking organization was a little too humble in front of the great conqueror. After all, the great conqueror's son, Lord Milansha, was almost an open believer of the Scarlet Wind, and no one took action to deal with it. In the end, the Black Sheep people killed the other side on the battlefield.

Now, as Li Rufeng's power continues to expand and he has more and more available forces under his command, he is finally qualified to do business with organizations like the Eagle of Order.

He was indeed standing on the opposite side of the Four Wind Gods. Li Rufeng had already had a clear enough summary of the power of the Four Wind Gods through the old shaman, and the inexplicable power in himself also conflicted with the power represented by the Four Wind Gods.

But this is definitely not the reason why the Order Eagle Organization can suppress him. The cooperation between them must be equal, and even based on their own side.

Those dark wizard apprentices in Mosul are essentially civilian victims. They have no subjective inclination to become dark wizards. They are forcibly selected by the Dream Kingdom, and many of them have paid a heavy price for this.

If the Eagle of Order decided to kill all those people and eliminate the threat once and for all, it would be simple, but if we expand the scope, almost every resident of Mosul is a potential threat, so doing so is meaningless...

Therefore, Li Rufeng has always firmly opposed this choice, and Haishar is also willing to act as a guarantor. He is willing to represent the Eagle of Order organization and stay in Mosul forever to ensure that the situation will not continue to deteriorate.

Li Rufeng expressed his gratitude to Haishar for his statement, but at the same time he made his intention clear: until he found any tangible abnormalities among the people of Mosul, he would not label them as potential "sources of pollution."

The power of the Four Wind Gods has been wreaking havoc for hundreds of years. If they could achieve this, the world would have fallen into the hands of those evil gods long ago. Li Rufeng needs more observation before making a decision.

And Sayib... is another concept.

Saib finally broke the silence and admitted without hesitation, "My lord, I know the Azure Wind. I am a believer and follower of it."

"When did it start? Why?" Li Rufeng changed his posture to make it easier for him to draw the magic sword, and then asked, "You should know that we have been in constant conflict with the followers of the Four Wind Gods."

"But you also kindly took in those mortal wizard apprentices who were unfortunately led into this path." Saib's voice was calm, as if he had anticipated today's conversation. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have given me the chance to speak, would you?"

"Answer my question, Saiyi Bu." Li Rufeng looked at Saiyi Bu impatiently.

"When we first captured the city of Mardin, you gifted Lord Badak some gold and silver jewelry. Later, part of that treasure was distributed to me..." Saib said honestly, "I was inspired by it, sir, but I don't think I'm evil!"

Chapter 613 Advance Payment

Perhaps Saiyib's belief in the Blue Wind was not that deep, and there was still time for him to turn back, or perhaps he just revealed these words to Li Rufeng in accordance with his own plan in exchange for his trust.

In short, Saiyib behaved very frankly in front of Li Rufeng and told him everything he knew.

Saib showed Li Rufeng the power he gained from his new faith. He mastered three new languages ​​without any instruction, knew a lot of stories about strategies and tricks, and could also rely on intuition to guess what others were thinking.

"I am useful to you, my lord. Now it's like I've opened my eyes for the first time and can see the whole world clearly." Although Saib did not directly praise the greatness of the Blue Wind, the joy and admiration conveyed in his words were far more pious than those of the dark wizards.

"But I'm still the same person. I haven't become crazy or twisted because of my belief in the Azure Wind. I won't kill people indiscriminately like those dark wizards or perform blood sacrifices. I don't want to acquire profound knowledge, nor do I want to make the world a worse place." Saib continued, "I believe the Azure Wind's faith is no worse than other existing faiths. No one is completely innocent in this regard."

"And you've seen, my lord, that although those dark wizards have committed many evil deeds, they can easily transform ignorant mortals into wise men full of wisdom and knowledge." Saib said directly, "This is also a good thing for you, isn't it?"