Mount and Blade Central Asia

Another piece of news from Aleppo came from his apprentice Bater, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. He wrote to him... asking for money.

Raising dozens of children for free and teaching them to read is just a small expense, which even a businessman like Saduddin can afford.

But as Aleppo gradually prospered, the small school that Li Rufeng once used as a kindergarten and literacy class also developed.

In addition to the 419 children currently receiving education at the school, there are more than 500 adults attending night school.

Bartel now has more than 20 employees who can barely be called teachers. Of course, most of them are just literate. The expenses of these people, including the students' meals, are a huge sum of money.

Of course, there is another thing that Battelle wrote in the letter, that is, Sayyid Kuda is seeking to open a theology course in the school to teach students the relevant doctrines of Islam.

To be honest, this is a routine operation in the Islamic world. In Li Rufeng's cognition, one of the few benefits that religion has brought to the world is the dissemination of knowledge and the teaching of writing. However, Li Rufeng somewhat dislikes Sayyid Kuda.

Said Kuda may have known Li Rufeng too early, and his impression of him has always remained as the shaman of that small tribe.

Therefore, whether in daily interactions or on the issue of missionary work after Li Rufeng became successful, Sayyid Kuda was always a little arrogant.

He always felt that Li Rufeng was an outsider, and that he could preach within the scope of Li Rufeng's control without needing Li Rufeng's approval.

Li Rufeng felt a little annoyed by the fact that he often took advantage of every opportunity to do so.

Just like this time, when he tried to open a course to explain the teachings of the Koran in the school established by Li Rufeng, he could have applied to Li Rufeng openly and waited for Li Rufeng's permission.

But Sayyid Kuda insisted on finding another way. He wanted to take advantage of the fact that Li Rufeng was fighting outside and could not return to Aleppo for a while, and use the pressure from his followers to threaten Bater.

Bater is a shaman apprentice of the Eternal Heaven faith. After leaving the tribe, in this land dominated by Islam, it is difficult for him to have the confidence to directly reject the request of a pioneer scholar like Sayyid Kuda like Li Rufeng.

"Sayyid, Sayyid, you've crossed the line." Li Rufeng frowned. He couldn't simply look at the problems caused by Sayyid from a personal perspective.

Said's attitude towards him and his actions in Aleppo should be regarded as the attitude of the sect behind Said towards Li Rufeng, the newly emerging force.

So Li Rufeng had to fight back.

Chapter 625 I don’t like him, let him disappear

Obviously, even if Li Rufeng rode back to Aleppo to deal with these two matters now, there would be no better results.

With Muzaffar and Bater as intermediaries with the merchant groups and religious forces in the city, Li Rufeng still has some room for easing the situation. Even if something goes wrong in the future and he plans to go back on his word, he will have enough ways out.

As the lord of Aleppo, Li Rufeng could not suppress Aleppo's original merchant group too much. Similarly, as a pagan lord who did not believe in Islam, even if he believed in the faith of "Mongol masters", he could not directly reject Said's application to the school.

But Li Rufeng could send a more pleasing missionary back to Aleppo to replace Sayyid as the missionary of Islam in Aleppo.

Muheya is obviously not suitable. His rank is too high, and the two sides have been cooperating for too short a time and do not know each other well. Li Rufeng has to find a missionary who can be controlled and return to his own nest.

But because of Muheya's existence, Li Rufeng now has considerable say within the Sufi sect, or at least within the secular sect under it.

Although Islam itself has not been as serious as Christianity in previous years, and has not split as a whole directly in terms of doctrine, it is also full of disharmony within itself. Or it should be said that from the day the Prophet Muhammad died, this religion based on secular power has been essentially divided.

In addition to the Sunnis and Shiites, which were fundamentally divided due to the legitimacy of the four caliphs, the two factions are further divided into countless sects due to years of politics, political views, power disputes, reasons for the right to interpret religion, and even differences in philosophical worldviews.

Among them, the Sunni sect, which occupies the mainstream of the Islamic world, is divided into four major schools in terms of jurisprudence, namely Hanafi, Malik, Shafi'i and Hanbali. These are the factions that are more recognized by intellectuals and even the general public.

Sufism is a "new sect" within Sunni Islam that has been passed down for hundreds of years. It is relatively moderate in its doctrines, does not oppose the four major schools of law, and rarely gets involved in the disputes over secular power in the Arab region. Instead, it focuses on mysticism and asceticism and has its own practice system.

Even in some Shia-dominated areas, Sufi mendicants can move freely.

Currently, in the areas controlled by Li Rufeng, the Islamic faith is still dominated by Sufi monks. Because these areas were opened up by Sufi monks, Sufi believers also account for the vast majority.

Through Muhaya's teachings, Li Rufeng learned that three different sects had emerged within the Sufi order, namely the Qadiri Order, the Suhrawardiya Order and the Naqshbandiya Order.

Among them, the Qadiri Order was founded in Baghdad, not far from Mosul. It is also the earliest order within Sufism. Of course, it first became popular under the name of a brotherhood.

The Qadiri Order requires its disciples to fulfill Sunni religious obligations in addition to performing Sufi rituals and understanding mystical doctrines. In terms of doctrinal law, it tends to follow the teachings of the Hanbali school. Its stance is relatively strict and conservative, so it has not been popular in various places in recent years.

The Suhrawardiya sect, with its more "convenient" teachings, spread more quickly in this land and has a deep base among the grassroots believers. Of course, most of the grassroots believers sometimes cannot even distinguish between Sunnis and Shiites.

They listen to the priests' sermons only to seek spiritual comfort. If you really want to discuss these ideological disputes with them, you must first feed them.

The Naqshbandi Order is a new religious order that has only emerged in the past decade or so. Its origin is Samarkand. Its core propaganda points can be summarized in four points: practicing Taoism among the people, traveling quickly in the world, being cautious in actions, and enjoying the time.

The entire sect advocates worldly involvement in the general direction and does not advocate the Sufi tradition of seclusion, asceticism and abstinence.

This can be seen from Muhaya, who is a member of the Naqshbandi order. Even though he has been exiled from Samarkand and lost most of his power, he still insists on wearing gold and silver and has more than one expensive brocade robe.

Of course, although the Naqshbandi Order has a doctrine of enjoying the present moment, Muhaya still pays some attention to this, especially when there is already some basis of mutual trust between the two sides, he is even more open about it.

"Muhaya, seriously, if one day my Mongolian soldiers take advantage of the moonlight to rob you, don't come to me to complain." Li Rufeng said jokingly after seeing Muhaya.

Of course, apart from being a joke, this is also a warning and a reminder. To be honest, if it were two years ago, with Muhaya wearing this outfit of big gold chains, small bracelets, and a handful of rings, even if he was the Prophet Muhammad himself and dared to pass by the tribe like this, he would have to go home naked.

"You're joking, sir. Those Mongolian soldiers should all know me." Muheya, who was in a good mood because his career was taking off again, laughed and answered Li Rufeng's teasing.

He had just recently escorted a batch of supplies from the city of Malikiya to reward the Mongolian cavalry. Although both of them were preaching, Muheya's skills were much more skillful than the young Sayyid. He neither aroused the disgust of Li Rufeng nor the disgust of the Mongols.

As the leader of the secular faction, Muhaya, who has regained his footing, has been inviting friends and writing letters to his former followers and allies since some time ago, intending to prepare for another battle starting from Mosul.

The results were also gratifying. He had gathered together more than a dozen secular priests who were exiled nearby, and Li Rufeng had his sights set on these priests.

"I plan to ask you to send a few people to my school in Aleppo to teach students the Koran." Li Rufeng's suggestion was more like a reward, which made Muheya overjoyed.

The younger the religious group, the more it needs to expand its missionary scope. The biggest problem for secular groups has always been that almost all mosques and schools have been owned long ago.

Many times, a star figure of a certain sect or religious group appears first, followed by mosques and schools, rather than the other way around.

"How many people do you need?" However, Muheya immediately realized that the lord might have religious troubles in Aleppo. The great conqueror had often encountered such things in the past. The formation of the secular faction was essentially to satisfy the great conqueror's right to speak in the religious field.

"Two or three people will be teachers in the school and take over the mosque in Aleppo. I don't like the current one. Have I made it clear enough?" Li Rufeng looked at Muheya and asked directly.

"Of course, sir, it's clear as day." Muheya touched his ring and answered affirmatively.

Chapter 626 The overwhelming wealth

"Diobbia, my dearest friend! Wasn't it me who gave you this opportunity to become rich? You must not forget us old brothers!" In the temporary military camp outside the city of Mosul, Renzo Piano was harassing his old friend.

Diobiya is now the artillery commander in Li Rufeng's army. Of course, up to now, Li Rufeng has no fixed artillery organization under his command. The title of artillery commander was just something Li Rufeng said casually when he was happy after drinking.

But with Li Rufeng's current status, even his drunken jokes have a certain authority.

Therefore, the position of Diobiya artillery commander is a foregone conclusion. After all, everyone knows how much Li Rufeng values ​​the artillery under his command.

Not only did he commission Venetian and Genoese merchants to order cannons from those commercial city-states, he also asked blacksmiths in the Arab blacksmith district to do their best to try to develop cannons locally.

As a result, Diobbia's status rose rapidly, and he became a big shot like Renzo Piano, a mercenary leader who had to make an appointment in advance to meet him.

The reason why Renzo Piano was able to see Diobbia in the military camp this time was because he took out the fine wine produced in Genoa that he had collected for a long time and tricked Diobbia into coming under the pretext of a reunion with old friends.

"I only remember that you sold me to Lord Rufeng for two large gold coins, and threatened me with my previous debts, saying that if I refused to stay here to work, you would make me bankrupt." Diobbia didn't give Renzo Piano any face at all, and just a few words made him laugh awkwardly.

But how could someone who could become a mercenary leader in this era be shameless?

Renzo Piano's greatest achievement in life was to swallow his pride and persevere.

"Come on, Diobbia! Didn't you stay here because our Shaman Lord offered you a high enough price?" Renzo Piano nonchalantly put his arm around Diobbia's shoulders. "Now we need some inside information from you, and you need us, don't you?"

"Why should I need you? I don't see the point." Diobbia ate and drank heartily with the look of a starving ghost. Every bite made the miser Renzo Piano feel painful. There was a shortage of food and meat in Mosul now. He had to spend money to buy such a table from the Mongols.

Although those Mongols were not good at doing business, they were very good at robbing, and this time the transaction was completed according to the standards of robbery.

"You're already so old, Diobbia. Do you plan to work here forever? Even when you're too old to walk, do you plan to live here?" Renzo Piano patiently persuaded him. "If we, your former employer, the Golden Arrow Mercenary Group, become successful, and you return to Genoa one day, will I treat you unfairly?"

"Hmph, even if I choose to return to my hometown one day, I will return home in glory. I already have enough money to buy a seat as a councilor. By then, it's still unclear who will be the one lighting up the table." Diobiya hummed nonchalantly. "We all know that Lord Rufeng is a generous employer."

"Of course, of course. We all know that he is a generous man, so I want to know if the business in Baghdad is really profitable?" Renzo Piano smiled cautiously, not at all unhappy about the difference in status between them, and his posture was very flexible.

"Also, how dangerous is this mission?" Renzo Piano said, his tone slightly more serious beneath his playful smile. "That's Baghdad. When the Pope organized the Eastern Expedition, he didn't even touch the edge of this city. I'm afraid something might go wrong and bury all my brothers outside the city..."

Hearing what Renzo Piano said, Diobbia finally put away his "restraint" and looked around. Renzo Piano understood and told everyone else to get out.

"I've heard about what you said. You'd be kidding if you said it wasn't dangerous. After all, we mercenaries earn our livings by risking our lives." Diobia whispered, holding a sausage in her hand. "But I think the profit here is enough for you to risk your lives."

"Of course I understand that. I mean, do you have any more inside information, such as..." Renzo Piano's voice trailed off. "That gentleman doesn't really think we can capture Baghdad with just a few of us, right?"

"Lord Rufeng does have some arrangements for Baghdad, but I can't go into details. Just know that he doesn't intend to trick you." Diobbia reassured Renzo Piano.

After all, old man Renzo Piano was indeed a little panicked this time, because the business was too big, so big that he was a little afraid to take it.

The Golden Arrow Mercenary Group did not make as much profit this time as last time, but Li Rufeng never delayed paying the commission and paid it all on time.

Renzo Piano could only complain that he had been preparing for a long time but failed to make a fortune.

Unexpectedly, after the war was over, when he thought he was about to go home, he suddenly got rich. The gentleman planned to give him the tax revenue of Baghdad!

The tax farmer system has been popular in Genoa for hundreds of years. Those extravagant owners (Note 1) often rely on this contracting system to make money, and it is also the best mission that many mercenary groups can receive.

But Baghdad was a very famous city, which made Renzo Piano suspect that Li Rufeng was planning to take the opportunity to kill them, ease the public anger, and avoid collecting a commission.

This is also the routine operation of luxury owners...

"Are you sure, Diobbia? This involves the lives of more than 500 brothers!" Renzo Piano asked, holding Diobbia's hand tightly.

Renzo Piano didn't want to give up this opportunity, but he didn't have the courage to take the risk, so he could only beg his old brother for help in this way.

"I can guarantee you, but after the deal is done, I will take 30% of the profits from your business." Diobbia's face wrinkled with smile. Before he came here, he had already guessed what Renzo Piano was up to and had a psychological price in mind early on.

"What? Thirty percent! You want to take thirty percent all by yourself? I employ over five hundred people!" Renzo Piano immediately jumped into business negotiations like a cat with its fur standing on end. "The most I can give you is ten percent, and you have to give me a written guarantee!"

"What are you dreaming about, Piano? How can such a thing be written down?" Diobbia dismissively shook off Renzo Piano's hand and pointed at the door. "If you're not satisfied, I'll leave right away. It's not like I have to come here for dinner and drinks."

"My dearest friend, look at my memory. This is the sapphire ring I bought when I was in Genoa. It has an iris carving on it. It is the work of Master Valentine. We never dared to imagine that one day we would wear such a precious ring!" Renzo Piano took a ring off his finger and put it on Diobbia's hand enthusiastically.

Completely ignoring the different thicknesses of their fingers, the ring was ultimately only put on the front half of Diobiya's finger, looking out of place.

But after all, both the exquisite ring and the sapphire inlaid on it are made of real materials. As to whether it is the work of Master Valentin mentioned by Renzo Piano, Diobbia cannot find someone here to authenticate it.

After being interrupted by Renzo Piano, Diobbia, who had received the benefit, no longer mentioned leaving, but in the end the two of them were deadlocked on the profit sharing ratio of 15% and 20%.

"Let me tell you some more inside information. I tell you, what I say now is worth a thousand gold, so after you listen to me, don't argue with me about this half-percent profit, understand?" Diobiya said sternly.

"You tell me first. This is not a small business. I can't promise you first." Renzo Piano, who talks about business, is much more difficult to deal with than Renzo Piano as the leader of a mercenary group.

Diobiya knew this, so he spoke directly, "That merchant, Shaw Walad, is most likely the heir to the Jalair dynasty, of royal blood. Do you understand?"

Renzo Piano rolled his eyes when he heard Diobbia say that. The number of small countries in this area was just like that in the Apennine Peninsula. Both the area of ​​rule and the duration of rule were erratic. The so-called royal bloodline could hardly inspire awe in people.

"With him as their accomplice, the Black Sheep won't last long. But our Shaman is no longer able to capture a city as big as Baghdad, which gives you an opportunity," Diobiya said with a look of great success. "Aren't you worried about being used as a scapegoat? Why don't you think of a way to wait out Baghdad for a year or two and let that merchant be the scapegoat?"

"Is it easy to operate?" Renzo Piano asked subconsciously.

"Of course it's difficult to do. If everything were already ready, this job wouldn't even be yours. Can't I just do it myself?" Diobiya said matter-of-factly. "Find a way to do this job cleanly and efficiently, and then hand over a pristine Baghdad to our Shaman. Are you still worried about not getting paid?"

"Our shaman is short on manpower and also concerned about his reputation. He doesn't want to cause dissatisfaction among the locals by taking direct action. Do you, a mercenary, have such concerns? You can just walk away, what are you afraid of?" Diobia beseeched. "We're talking about a big deal worth thousands of gold coins!"

"Yes, big deal..." Renzo Piano seemed to have seen gold coins turning into raindrops falling from the sky, but he also saw the blood and killing behind it.

But the opportunity is right in front of him. Can a mercenary like him refuse it?

Chapter 627: Date?

Since Li Rufeng returned to Mosul from Erbil Castle, he has once again devoted himself to busy government work.

In addition to Mosel, he had an entire territory to manage, from the city of Hama to the castle of Erbil, from the city of Mardin to the vicinity of Baghdad, almost all of which was his territory.

Damascus, a little further south of Hama, had just survived the disaster brought by the plague. The emirs tried to buy more food from Li Rufeng while asking for help from their own sultan.

It is obvious that this superficial communication is meaningless, and both sides deep down wish that the other party would die sooner.

Li Rufeng felt that the possibility that the Emir of Damascus would one day cooperate with him was greater than the possibility that he would once again stand behind the Mamluk Sultan. The contradiction between the two sides had reached an irreconcilable level.

As the former governor of Hama, Gulanchi Gonçalves has always been promoted by Li Rufeng as a surrenderer who voluntarily surrendered to him. Regardless of his reaction to this at the time, after experiencing this plague, Gulanchi tacitly accepted this statement and became a surrenderer with peace of mind.

After all, the city of Hama has not only not been affected by the plague on a large scale during this period, but has also benefited greatly from the development of Aleppo, and it can be said to have joined this business chain.

Although the plague has prevented the trade routes from Hama to Damascus and even to the south from being open, Hama's income has still increased by more than half compared to last year.

Therefore, Gulanqi now feels at ease as a defector, and even uses his old connections to collect a lot of intelligence about Damascus for Li Rufeng.

For example, Li Rufeng now learned that Sultan Nasir had been carrying out some reforms in the Cairo area during this period, and had conflicts with many nobles and religious figures.

During the plague, Nasrid Sultan's only response to the enclaves in Syria was to send a special team representing the Sultan's will to inspect the situation, but not a single grain of food arrived.

This behavior greatly aroused the Syrians' resentment towards the Sultan. Of course, even if this incident had not happened, the Syrians did not have a good impression of the Nazi Sultan.

In the area north of Aleppo, the war between the Black Sheep and the White Sheep has strangely reached a stalemate. The two sides have been in a strategic standoff with Batman as the center, and there has been no major action.

If this isn't intuitive enough, it would be more intuitive if we convert it into casualties.

From the time Li Rufeng and the Aries people put pressure on the Black Sheep people from two directions, one in the south and one in the north, until now, less than one hundred Aries soldiers have been killed in battle.

The few siege operations were so sloppy that it seemed as if they were just a perfunctory job.

Li Rufeng was naturally very dissatisfied with this progress. Although the two sides did not sign any alliance agreement, they did drink the alliance wine at that time. And in the final analysis, Li Rufeng participated in this war in response to King Aries' request for help.

No matter how much planning Li Rufeng had behind this, how long he had been preparing, and how great the results were, it was morally untenable for the Aries people to be so perfunctory in the war.

However, it is obvious that the Aries King is at least very capable of withstanding pressure. When Li Rufeng was on an expedition and had no time to bother with him, he just worked hard for half a year.

But there is one thing that Aries people are not bad at: they are indeed "submissive".