Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 215: The Chronicle of Clavijo’s Envoy to the East ([-])
As a result, I had further imagination about the ruler of the Timurid Empire I was about to meet.

In the hinterland of this mountain range, we encountered many local forces that surrendered to Timur. Regardless of whether they were Georgians or Armenians, they were all squeezed into living in the relatively barren mountainside area.

As for those mountain pastures with rich water and grass, most of them were owned by nobles conferred by the Timur Empire.

I sympathize with the experiences of Georgians and Armenians, and at the same time admire their courage and endurance in defying heavy taxes (religious taxes) and always maintaining their distinctive edges and ethnic characteristics.

It was the churches built along the route by the Georgian or Armenian mountain people that became the temporary residence for our mission to rest.

I found that this kind of thing that is difficult for others to understand is exactly how the local people survive.

Due to the constant fighting ahead, we had to live here for a year to avoid the fighting.

It was not until June of the seventh year of Yongle that we arrived at the city of Tabriz in the southeast of the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains.

Since there is a large river flowing through the south of Tabriz, it can directly divert water to supply the needs of the residents in the city. The exquisite silks, jewelry and spices in the city's trade market indicate that this city is a major trade transit city between the East and the West.

Starting from the city of Tabriz, I witnessed a series of complete post station systems.

I later learned that the post station of the Timur Empire was built by the Chagatai Khanate a hundred years ago, following the example of the Chinese post station.

As we continued eastward, we discovered the skeletons of the Aries Turks and the fortress built on the ruins of the town.

The Temple of Bones is a common method of intimidation used by Timur's army, so I know that our mission is getting closer to the capital of Timur's empire.

Throughout Persia, the officials and post offices of the Timurid Empire were extremely efficient, but after the locals learned that our group was a Spanish mission to the Timurid Empire, they all avoided seeing us.

Later I learned that this was because the messengers of the Timur Empire often had to ride their horses five to six hundred miles in one day, and they had the right to requisition supplies at the station along the way.

The Timurid Empire's messengers were obviously not very friendly to the Persian residents, and the villages along the way were angry and dared not speak out, so they could only avoid our mission like the plague.

This made us feel very embarrassed. Fortunately, after arriving in Tehran, our group was received by the minister of the Timur Empire.

We were given Tatar horses and Turkic robes, as well as Turkic pointed felt hats.

Because we were afraid of offending the ministers of Timur's empire, even if we developed fever and other discomfort symptoms after wearing the robes for too long, we did not dare to stop for a while on the way. We could only put the pillow on the saddle to clamp the body front and back. Make sure you keep riding forward.

Fortunately, the tribes of the Chagatai Khanate along the way took care of us, so we gradually adapted to the nomadic life, such as the eating custom of eating when we were hungry and when we were full.

We would eat a lot after entering the city, and rely on yogurt, dried meat or dry biscuits on the way out in the wild.

If the horse dies of illness due to hunger, thirst or fatigue during the journey, it will be skinned immediately by the soldiers and sold.

Fortunately, our mission is a foreign dignitary from the Timur Empire and can continue to obtain more replacement horses, which allows our group to move forward smoothly.

I found that the territory of Timur's empire seemed not very peaceful. There were armies and small-scale rebel forces everywhere along the way.

Because we passed through an area where the plague broke out, we were forced to live in isolation for three months.

It was not until three months later that the plague completely subsided that we set off again.

In this way, we continued to stop and go until February of the eighth year of Yongle. Under the protection of the army led by the Timurid Empire Minister, we crossed the Amu Darya River on a pontoon bridge.

Afterwards, we received the gold hada and horses given by the local princes and nobles, and started heading towards the city of Samarkand in the north.

Because only there is the real capital of Timur's empire, and only in Samarkand can the delegation led by me be officially received by Timur Khan.

Before that we need to cross the valley south of Shahrisabz.

This valley has a dangerous terrain and was once guarded by an iron gate, so it is called Iron Gate Pass.

Many years ago, Alexander and the Macedonian army he led fought here, and travelers from the east such as Master Xuanzang and Master Qiu Chuji also came here.

Because this valley is the only way to guard Tianzhu, Iran, and the river, this iron gate provided a large amount of tax revenue for the Timurid Empire.

Shahrisabz, which we then passed, was the hometown of Timur Khan, the founder of the Timur Empire.

After Timur Khan gained power, he sent people to rebuild the city and ordered the mosques in the city to kill twenty sheep every morning to help the local poor.

I have heard about Timur's early life, including how he started from a fallen royal family, led hundreds of cavalry to rob caravans, and suffered leg disabilities in the battle.

Although Timur was famous for his bad temper, the hero did not shy away from the downfall and frustration of his youth, showing the last trace of tolerance in his harsh character.

I also noticed that three circles of signs arranged in an inverted font can be seen everywhere in the city.

According to locals, this symbolizes that Timur Khan has conquered three-quarters of the known world.

I also found that the city was in a state of preparation for war. Under the surface of stability and peace, there were many hidden unstable factors.

For example, there are a large number of people from different origins and customs in the city, working under the supervision of military warriors.

In many residential areas in the city, I can see Turks, Persians, Syrians, Armenians, Greeks and Tianzhu people.These people were all slaves captured by the Timur Empire during its conquests.

I heard that every time Timur Khan punished someone, he required the other group to pay a huge fine, otherwise his group would be tortured.

As for the ever-expanding military camps outside the city and the craftsmen's workshops busy casting firecrackers, we are all on pins and needles.

I couldn't help but wonder, would a man so intent on world conquest be willing to help my country fight the Ottoman Empire?
Will my country eventually be conquered by the Timurid Empire?

With these questions, I finally walked into the city of Samarkand.

After entering the city and resting for a few days, we were summoned.

On this day, I led the envoy to present tributes, and then, under the guidance of the warriors, we began to enter the palace.

We saw six elephants at the entrance of the palace. These elephants would constantly perform dances and various acrobatics, obviously for the enjoyment of envoys from various countries.

Timur Khan does not seem to look older. He sits on a throne covered with silk and quilts, wearing a white felt hat decorated with gems.

Because he was dozens of steps away from our group, I couldn't see clearly what he looked like and whether his legs were disabled.

When our group visited Timur Khan, we had to kneel down before we could step forward to hand over our credentials.

I learned in advance that the ministers and envoys that Timur Khan met this time were also the Mamluk ambassadors from Egypt, the envoys of the Golden Horde from the north to the south, the special envoys of the Delhi Sultanate from Tianzhu to the north, and those who were subject to the meeting. A representative of a vassal state or local lord entrusted by the Timurid Empire.

After Timur Khan received us, a group of foreign envoys suddenly broke in aggressively.

They look different from us and wear different clothes than us.

The leader of this group of envoys, in front of all the ministers and envoys, questioned Timur Khan on the throne in Chinese that I could not understand.

After he finished speaking, a man stood up next to him. In Turkic language that I could understand, he asked Timur Khan loudly: "King Timur Khan, why have you not paid the tribute that your country owes to my heavenly kingdom?" ?You must send people to pay tribute as soon as possible for all the tributes that have not been paid before!"

This person's tone was very strong, which shocked the envoys from various countries present at the time!

Especially envoys like me from distant Western countries, I can't believe there are such people in the world!

The Ottoman Empire is a nightmare for many countries in our western continent. The Timurid Empire defeated the Ottoman Empire, so many of our countries traveled thousands of miles to seek assistance from the Timurid Empire.

Who are these people?
Where do they come from?

Why are they here?
And who sent them here?

Why can they question the Great Khan of Tamerlane unscrupulously?

Don’t they know that the Timur Khanate was a huge empire?
Just when I was extremely shocked, Timur Khan stepped down from the throne in a panic, came to the front of the man, bowed, and said in Turkic language that I could understand: "Dear Angel, Little King Shah Lu is willing to apologize and pay ten times more tribute, hoping to get the forgiveness of the great Ming Emperor!"

At this time, I was shocked to find that Timur Khan's legs were not disabled, and his face was not as murderous and majestic as the legend said.

Later I learned that Timur Khan had died, and the current Great Khan of the Timur Empire was Shaharul Khan, the third Great Khan.

The performance of the third great Khan of the Tamerlane Empire suddenly made me realize that there must be a heaven on earth described by Marco Polo in "The Oriental Stories" in this world.

Those who questioned Shaharul Khan were angels, messengers from the kingdom of heaven on earth, the Ming Empire!
At this time, the Timur Empire was just a subsidiary state of the Ming Empire!

My dear readers, can you imagine how shocked I was?
The Ottoman Empire, which has caused deep fear to countless countries in our western continent, was defeated steadily by the Timurid Empire, and even the king became a prisoner of the Timurid Empire.

However, Timur himself, the founder of the Timur Empire, was killed by an unknown soldier from the Ming Empire using a movable vehicle-mounted cannon.
So, I made up my mind to take our mission members and follow the Angel of Ming Dynasty to the Ming Empire to see the legendary heaven on earth.

In order to be able to meet the emperor of the Ming Dynasty and ask him to order the Timurid Khanate to help my country eliminate the threat of the Ottoman Empire, I stated the purpose of our mission's eastward journey to the Qingyao envoy of the Ming Dynasty envoy.

I no longer call Timur and Osman an empire here because compared to the Ming Dynasty, neither Timur nor Osman deserve to be called an empire.

So in the following, there is only one empire, that is the Ming Empire, and there is only one emperor, and that is the emperor of the Ming Dynasty!

Okay, I know there must be many of you who are dissatisfied.

Don't worry, read on slowly, you will agree with me.

When envoy Qingyao learned about the reason for our mission's eastward journey, he immediately expressed his willingness to take us to the Ming Dynasty to meet Emperor Yongle. However, there was one condition for allowing the Ming Dynasty to help my country eliminate the threat from the Ottomans - let my country pay homage to the Ottoman Empire. The Ming Dynasty claimed vassal status and paid tribute.

If we don't agree to this condition, Ming will not help.

In my opinion, this condition is completely trivial and not worth mentioning!

The Timurid state that was able to defeat the Ottoman state was willing to declare itself a vassal and pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty. My country is just a small country, so there is nothing wrong with claiming vassalage and paying tribute to the Ming Dynasty.

However, many years later I discovered what it meant to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty!
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(End of this chapter)