Firmament

The beauty of the mountains is wild fruits and forests;

The beauty of a country lies in its people.

- Mongolian proverb

On June 12, 1220, the Khwarazm Empire, located in the middle of the Eurasian continent, was enveloped in a thick cloud of war. Armies from the steppe countries of Northeast Asia swept away the leaves like an autumn wind, rampaging through the Amu Darya and Syr Darya daryas, invincible.

In the splendid royal palace of Samarkand, the imperial capital of the Khwarazm Empire, Aladdin Mahamat, and the senior generals and civil ministers of the army were discussing how to build a strong position on the front line and how to mobilize the vast number of soldiers to defend the heart of the empire to the death.

Ahmed al-Amini, a palace clerk, sat at his desk. He was in a state of confusion, and hastened and scribbled down the king's conversations with his generals and ministers.

Aladdin Mahamat reclined on a high throne, dressed in a pale yellow robe, with a turban wrapped around his head, also pale yellow, and his eyes were gloomy. He stroked a handful of gray beards with his short fat right hand. In an instant, a gold-encrusted sapphire ring on his finger streaked through the air with a glow of gold and blue.

Aladdin Mahamat pretended to be calm and asked, "At present, the army of the steppe country is like a hungry tiger, pounced on the central hinterland of our country. In this regard, all the beloved generals and virtuous ministers, what do you think?"

The generals and ministers had their own concerns and looked at each other, and no one responded for a long time.

With a flattering smile on his face, Isma's favorite retainer of Aladdin Mahamat first broke the silence and said: "Our great empire, under the wise leadership of His Majesty, which is unparalleled in the world, is as mighty as a snowy peak in the Tianshan Mountains, and as hard as an iron wall. Those soldiers of the Prairie Country who are in a hurry are just a swarm of moths that pounce on the lights and kill themselves. "

Aladdin Mahamat is well aware of the dire situation. He no longer wanted to listen to such a lie that made him happy, as he had done before. So, he furrowed his thick black eyebrows in disgust, and turned his face to the always upright Minister Rouhani.

Rouhani was an upright man who dared to tell the truth in front of the king. Although he was repeatedly ignored by the overjoyed Aladdin Mahamat, he was never deposed or exiled. Because Aladdin Mahamad still has a little self-knowledge in his heart: if the huge Khorezm does not even have a virtuous minister to tell the truth, then the empire's qi will come to an end.

When Rouhani heard the king call his name, he thought to himself: the country is in great danger, and as a minister of the empire, he must face the difficulties head-on, be selfless, and do his best to protect the foundations of the Khorezm empire.

Rouhani said: "Your Majesty, I have a suggestion below. "

Aladdin Mahama waved his hand and said, "Please speak." "

Rouhani said: "The national fortune of the steppe country is flourishing, and its military strength should not be underestimated. On the one hand, we will send our best troops to the front to resolutely resist the invading enemy and express the determination of the Khwarazm Empire to resist aggression to the death, and on the other hand, we will send wise emissaries to negotiate peace with the generals of the steppe countries, so as to avoid as much devastating plunder as possible. "

Isma angrily criticized Rouhani and said: "Minister Rouhani, my Khorezm empire is powerful, and it is more than enough to deal with those shepherds on the steppe. Instead, you advocate peace talks with the enemy. This is to destroy one's own ambition and grow the prestige of the enemy!"

Aladdin Mahamat raised his hand again and gently stroked his thick beard.

He said thoughtfully, "Well, don't argue any more!, Ministers, I intend to make this decision: send Lord Rouhani to Tara to start peace talks with the generals of the steppe country. Send Lord Ismaili to lead an elite division to the front line to organize a fight against the steppe army. If there are no objections, you all step down. Alas, the old problem of headaches has returned. "

Ahmed put away the thick notebook and muttered something in a whisper. He exited the chamber after the whispering Minister of Civil and Military Affairs.

The princes and nobles of Samarkand heard that the steppe soldiers were approaching the city, and knew that they were extremely strong and unstoppable, and they prepared for the worst. In the past two days, they were like hares on the grassland, panicking to pack up their gold and silver treasures, preparing to escape from the imperial capital and save their families' lives.

The civilian population of Samarkand was divided into two opposing factions. Some of them exalted the mighty and brave national blood, shared the same hatred, actively participated in the defense of the imperial capital, and vowed to fight to the end with the invading enemy. Others privately denounced King Aladdin Mahamat for his arrogance and rudeness, which angered the people of the steppe country far away in the world for no reason, causing the prosperous and wealthy Khorezm to be in danger and his life hanging by a thread.