NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11
# Chapter 11: In the Flow of Time (2)
It would be a mistake to think that the plunder of this era was merely the work of bandits.
Rather, raiding was closer to a state-sponsored national policy.
Just as Europeans went to Africa or the New World to plunder indigenous peoples and enslave them, there were economic as well as tactical reasons involved.
“Take the Akinji, the irregular cavalry operating along the Ottoman border, for example.”
True to their notorious name, they received no funding from the state but could raid at any time by crossing into enemy territory.
Through these, the Ottomans could attack enemy villages, garrisons, fortresses, and border posts, while also identifying weaknesses in defenses.
“The nations being raided must be going mad, while for the Ottomans, it’s a win-win situation.”
It was no coincidence that states which were mocked as demon lords in Europe would unite against the Ottomans, forming a Holy League.
The Ottomans had two powerful raiding machines.
The first was the Barbary Pirates of the Mediterranean, who enslaved over a million Europeans for three centuries.
The second was the Crimean Khanate, which captured 150,000 during the fires in Moscow and enslaved more than two million people over two hundred years.
The isolated land over the Black Sea is the Ottoman vassal, the Crimean Khanate.
The reason I mentioned raiders is that the main targets of the Crimean Khanate included Circassians.
Since they shared the same blood, the girl’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
Honestly, I was quite shocked to hear from Fatima that she was a Circassian captured by the Crimean Khanate.
When Selim thought of leaving Trabzon to take control of the military, there were two locations he considered to draw in supporters.
One was Georgia, which bordered Trabzon, and the other was the attached Circassia.
Initially, I prioritized Georgia because it was directly connected, but after hearing this, I changed my mind.
“Others might say it’s unfortunate since they have no external family to rely on as a slave.”
Luck is often said to be born from planning, so it all depends on how one sets the stage.
Of course, I had no idea how effective “Hey, we’re related!” would be, and since it’s better to have more cards in hand, I didn’t plan to abandon Georgia either.
At this point, one might suggest it’d be better to seduce the Crimean Khanate.
“That place is too arrogant to consider it.”
Being the only Islamic vassal, they enjoy near independence and wouldn’t budge an inch no matter how hard I tried.
Yusuf turned to the slightly dazed girl and asked, “Then let me ask again. What’s your name?”
“…Maria.”
“Using that name might be a bit much. From now on, your name will be Aishe.”
Yusuf smiled slightly at Aishe, who nodded with a dazed expression.
Since the ruling religion among the Ottoman elite is Islam, it was necessary to be careful even with a name for a slave to earn their favor.
Though it wasn’t the best time for women to be active, a clever one could still find a way to be useful.
“Even if it’s as an interpreter, she’d earn her keep.”
Just as Yusuf was considering this, the cunning merchant flashed a grin and said, “I knew you’d recognize that she’s a rare find. You can’t imagine how many high-ranking officials coveted her. You’re quite lucky, young lord.”
Luck? I suppose there’s a bit of luck in it.
“Selling a rebellious slave like this could lead to some trouble, so that’s why no one bought her, right? Isn’t that correct?”
“Ahaha…”
Who do you think you’re dealing with?
A slave who is rebellious tends to be so expensive that they couldn’t carelessly train her.
“So how much is she?”
“As you can see, she’s a poorly trained slave, so I’ll let her go for exactly four hundred ducats.”
Yusuf didn’t lose his smile despite the staggering amount that could almost make your head spin, and he turned to call for Hasan.
“Hasan.”
“Yes!”
“If a slave curses the lineage of a prince, would the master also be punished?”
Yusuf sincerely chuckled at the merchant, who turned pale in an instant.
What the merchant said was right. I was lucky.
*
Though I wanted to shout “Four ducats!” and act like a scoundrel, it would be problematic if the merchant killed Aishe saying it was punishment.
As long as I concealed my identity, I could get away with it to an extent.
I still had some conscience, so I managed to acquire Aishe and five Circassian men to serve as guards for three hundred ducats.
It’s the same kind of scummy act, to be honest.
“If only he weren’t a prince, I’d have given him a beating.”
Even Hasan, who was seasoned as a merchant, looked appalled, so I’ll skip the details.
Once Aishe was brought in, Fatima and Nene took her away, saying they would start her training.
There was so much for her to learn, starting with basic etiquette.
“I heard she swore at me, so it’s going to be tough to train her.”
I could already sense Aishe’s sorrowful wails from afar, but unfortunately, I had no time to focus on her right now.
An even more challenging opponent had arrived.
“Nice to meet you, young prince. I am Şemsi Pasha.”
“Likewise.”
Although we merely exchanged greetings, I could instantly tell that he was no ordinary opponent.
I couldn’t perceive a single emotion from him.
“Despite being removed from central power, I have received a decree from the Padishah to assist the prince.”
Even though he had been demoted and sent to serve a prince with little chance of becoming a Sultan, not a single emotion betrayed his expression.
With a smile directed at the inscrutable Şemsi, Yusuf replied, “It’s reassuring to have a Pasha with experience in the Sanjak to assist the prince.”
A Sanjak is akin to a district office, and it can be divided into Kazas.
Under the Trabzon Sanjak, there are over ten Kazas, including Trabzon Kaza, which meant a considerable territory.
Naturally, one could not entrust this vast land entirely to a young prince and an inexperienced concubine, and various helpers like advisors, teachers, and physicians were assigned to them.
“However, I can’t rely solely on an advisor.”
A young ruler and an advisor managing the territory in his stead.
If you thought of a regent and a mere puppet ruler, you’d be spot on.
“It’s not uncommon for advisors to blindside the princes and commit corruption.”
How could that happen, you ask?
In the Ottomans, any prince who fell for such schemes was simply a fool.
How could one entrust an empire to someone who couldn’t even manage a few people?
Yet, being overly fearful and keeping one’s distance isn’t the answer either. That’d be as foolish as trying to cut meat with bare hands out of fear of a knife.
You should at least know where the blade is aimed.
“Then, Pasha, what do you plan to do first?”
“I’m thinking of selecting others to assist you, your highness. Are there any specific individuals you desire?”
Most of those chosen would be teachers to train him.
There was a mountain of subjects to study, including science, history, religion, military science, and martial arts, requiring an abundant number of teachers.
Choosing them directly would be tiring, and by looking at the chosen teachers, I could gauge what Şemsi was thinking, so I had no intention of stopping it.
“If they pull any funny business, I can use that as an excuse to throw them out.”
With plenty of external enemies around, I had no intention of nurturing rats within.
“Make the basic selections, Pasha. However, I want to select the physician myself.”
“The physician, you say?”
“Yes.”
At the very least, I should control my own life.
Even without assassinations, from a modern perspective, there are plenty of quacks around.
“I need an excellent physician for the future.”
Whether he participated in many wars while in the Sanjak Bey or not, it couldn’t possibly end after just one or two.
Even in an era where cauterization was the main treatment for severe wounds, one needed a physician who could at least perform basic surgical procedures.
“Not to mention, I need to think about inoculation.”
There is no disease more terrifying in this era than smallpox.
With cumulative deaths reaching one billion, it’s far worse than the three hundred million from the infamous Black Death; thus, whenever there’s mention of alternate history, smallpox is always included.
It would be utterly ridiculous to say I strived to become Sultan but ended up dead from smallpox.
“The fame gained by making inoculation public would also be tremendously beneficial.”
Of course, I had no intention of revealing it right now.
In a situation where my factions were weak, revealing something like that would only bring me night visitors filled with fraternal love.
When Yusuf mentioned looking for a physician, Şemsi nodded without a hint of curiosity.
“A physician. Understood. Then I will look for suitable candidates excluding that one.”
“Great, I appreciate it.”
Once Şemsi left, Yusuf let out a long sigh.
Dealing with someone whose intentions were inscrutable was more tiring than expected.
Usually, one would curse the Sultan who assigned such a person to them…
“The temperament of one who claims to be the lord of an empire must be at least this much.”
As he observed the Sultan’s gifts piled up in one corner of the room, Yusuf couldn’t help but click his tongue.
Is it greed to want something when faced with such dazzling treasures shining golden light?
“Oh, how dazzling. I wonder how many I’d get if I sold them all.”
Wouldn’t it at least be twenty to thirty thousand gold coins?
That was far too much to berate the Sultan over.
*
Boom! Bang! Boom!
The sound of thunderous drums resonated throughout Constantinople.
Galleys powered by dozens of rowers and over a hundred supply ships covered the sea, while three towering galleys sliced gracefully through the waves.
Among them, the highlight was two large Karak ships.
These massive vessels, capable of carrying a thousand men, created turbulent waters just by moving.
At Topkapi Palace, the Sultan’s flag signaling war flew high, and those who had gathered to witness this spectacle raised their voices in fervent calls to Allah and the Padishah.
The shouting heralded the beginning of a war involving more than forty thousand sailors.
Yusuf absorbed the heart-pounding scene with his own two eyes.
“This is really the beginning.”
Not referring to the war between Venice and the Ottomans that would continue until the treaty in 1503.
It meant that the empire had closed one eye for victory’s sake, signaling a time for a new giant to rise.
This flow couldn’t be stopped, nor should it.
“Just as a hero needs chaos to emerge, to become Sultan, I need the empire’s turmoil.”
A Sultan passively responding to the Safavid Empire, conflicts with the military discontented by this, the rebellion of Shakul fueled by the Safavid support, and the subsequent revolts of the princes.
This scene felt like the beginning of a long, drawn-out battle.