Building a Career in the East

The Mesopotamian Plain, located in the Two Rivers region, was the finest part of the entire Fertile Crescent. Since Sasanian Persia replaced the Parthian Empire, it had become the center of its rule.

Over many years, its people had blended with Assyrians, Saracens, Greeks, and Babylonians, creating an exceedingly advanced and prosperous civilization.

Baron Fulk and Ivan were currently leading five thousand elite soldiers "carefully selected" by Saladin, escorting a large diplomatic mission toward Ctesiphon, the capital of the Sasanian Dynasty.

Not long ago, they had passed through Baghdad and rested there for an entire week before receiving the Sasanian King's summons, allowing them to travel to nearby Ctesiphon.

The flourishing sights of the East had dazzled them all along the way, as though a band of country bumpkins had entered the imperial capital.

Baron Fulk sighed with emotion. "Baghdad's splendor is unlike anything I have ever seen. Aleppo and Alexandria pale beside her. Even the legendary Constantinople can hardly be more magnificent than this."

"It is only slightly better than Cairo."

Ivan gave a soft laugh, his expression somewhat complicated. "You still have the mood to pay attention to that."

"That old fellow Tughril met with all sorts of guests in Baghdad, running about everywhere and doing his utmost to preach that all Zoroastrians should unite and march against the Franks. I doubt that is something the Sasanian King wants to see."

"But I heard that the Sasanian King is a man who follows rules. No matter how dissatisfied he is with Tughril, he will not violate his principles by acting against him. The diplomatic mission will leave sooner or later. Once they are gone, only we will remain in Eranshahr to fight the Tatars to the death. By then, we may become the Sasanian King's target for venting