In April 1709, the leader of the Gilzai people, Mir Hotak, and his followers rebelled against the tyrannical rule of the governor of Kandahar, the Georgian Gurgin. They killed Gurgin, expelled all the Persian officials, and then declared their independence from the Safavid dynasty.

After failing to appease the Empire Shah Sudan Hussein twice, he ordered Kai Khosru, the nephew of the slain governor of Kandahar, Gulgin, to lead the imperial army and join the Abdari people, the enemies of the Gilzai, to go to Kandahar to quell the rebellion.

Unfortunately, the counterinsurgency army was repulsed by the Gilzai and the commander Kai Hosru was killed, and finally had to abandon the siege of Kandahar.

Although the empire did not suffer much in the course of the counterinsurgency, the consequences of this defeat were severe, and the Safavid dynasty lost control of Kandahar.

In the autumn of 1719, the growing Gilzails, led by their new chieftain Mahmud, made a tentative invasion of Kerman, an important town in the southwestern part of the empire.

But he didn't want to, the city surrendered without a fight, the governor fled when he heard the news, and Mahmoud captured Kerman almost bloodlessly.

The Gilzai carried out bloody massacres and looting in Kerman, tearing off the tiger's skin from the empire for the first time, revealing its weakened body.

This is a rare opportunity for our country!

At this moment, the landscape of Kandahar is like a magnificent picture, with the ancient citadel towering and its spires and towers standing majestically in the morning sun.

"Well, that's good." Ibrahim Khan smiled and looked at each other sincerely: "If we can get a positive response from your Qi country, I think we will definitely establish a mutually beneficial and friendly relationship between us in the future." When that time comes, our Governor will surely invite you to Mashhad as our military advisor to guide and train our new army. ”

After more than eight months of siege, the Gilzai had no choice but to accept the ransom fee of 2,000 tomans (1 toman is about 2.7 taels of silver) from the city of Kerman, and then withdrew from the siege.

Don't look at the fact that our Qi State is now sparing no effort to support Persia, making it look like they want to help the Safavid Dynasty achieve a "great revival".

But I didn't expect that this Nadir would use his identity to help introduce and meet with senior officials of our Qi country, so as to obtain opportunities for contact and exchanges with Qi country, so as to achieve the goal of in-depth cooperation between the two sides.

In order to escape the pursuit of the Qibo coalition army, the Gilzai people organized several blockades, but under the panic of the people, the broken troops often collapsed at the first touch, and they could not stop the Qi army for a moment, and were always pushed behind.

More than a month ago, as an intelligence analyst, he went to Khorasan with the Persian Imperial army to conquer Nadir, but he did not want to be ambushed by Nadir's army in Mayam. The battle lasted only half a day before the Persian army was routed, and all the troops fled in a flock.

However, the army of the Qi people did not stay in Kandahar for long, and after hearing that the Caucasus region had been invaded by Russia, they left in a hurry, leaving only more than 10,000 allied soldiers to guard the area.

However, he was pursued by the cavalry of the Nadir army, but failed to escape in time, and was unfortunately captured by them.

Ashraf sent Mahmoud's head to the Qi people who were pursuing him, and presented dozens of carts of gold, silver and jewelry.

They not only supported the deposed Shah Sudan Hussein's brother Prince Abbas to inherit the empire Shah at the first time, but also mobilized more than 20,000 troops to land in Persia and launched an attack on the Girzai.

But in the process of escaping all the way, the Gilzai people not only lost a large number of "little wasp cannons" and ordnance materials, but also had to discard countless looted rare treasures, and in vain the Qi people chasing after them, and finally arrived in Kandahar in panic like beggars.

Perhaps out of fear of our Qi State, or because he didn't want to offend our Qi State too much, several captured Qi State officers, including him, were not treated harshly by the Nadir Army, but were treated with great courtesy by them.

Although in the course of many years of extermination, there were also internal strife among the Gilzai, Ashraf was retaliated by Mahmud's younger brother Hussein for killing Mahmoud without permission and flattering the Qi people, and a fierce fire broke out, and he was finally killed, which seriously weakened the power of the Gilzai and the rebellion also fell into a trough. However, confined to the fragmented mountainous terrain of Kandahar Province, they still managed to retain considerable strength, and temporarily hibernated, waiting for the future.

The walls are made of stone and brick, and are incomparably strong, with elaborate patterns and patterns carved on them. Along the walls, rows of Persian soldiers can be seen patrolling, dressed in gray cloth uniforms, with scimitars at their waists and muskets on their backs, staring vigilantly at the incoming caravans, dutifully guarding the peace of the city.

"We have an Afghan envoy in Kandahar, who is mainly responsible for handling diplomatic and diaspora affairs in the region." Fu Kedong, the intelligence analyst of the Qi State Staff Corps in Persia and Lieutenant Ling Lu (Lieutenant Colonel), said expressionlessly: "Even if he can't make a decision on your request, he can quickly report to the neighboring Indian Governor General or the High Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in India." So, no matter what, I can give you a clear response. ”

In this way, we will be able to control the internal affairs, foreign affairs, military, economy and trade of Persia, and firmly hold the most critical link in the Indian Ocean region.

I'll wipe it, the people of Qi are too unreasonable.

They came to Isfahan, the capital of the Empire, and then they went shit-lucky. After defeating more than 40,000 imperial troops in Gulnabad, he decided to take Isfahan and plunder the richest city in the empire.

In desperation, the Girzai were quickly scattered in the mountains at the behest of their chieftain, Ashraf, most likely spontaneously.

In the center of the city is a bustling market, with stalls filled with all kinds of goods, from spices, cloths, hardware products to gold, silver and jewelry.

Climb the tower and look into the distance, and you can see that the mountains are even more majestic against the blue sky. Despite the war, Kandahar was still home to magnificent castles and bustling bazaars, devout believers and bustling residents, and its unique charm attracted travelers and merchants from far and wide.

However, this move was opposed by our Qi state, claiming that it would intensify local ethnic and religious contradictions, and was not conducive to the stability of the Safavid Dynasty's frontiers.

The people of Qi checked the head, received the gift, and then ...... Continue to lead the army in pursuit, and make a posture that vows to wipe out their Girzails.

The Afghans, who had been slaughtered by four quarters, suffered a series of defeats in the face of the Qi people, Shiraz, Yasuj, Shahr, Najfabad, and one army after another were broken by the Qi people, so that the Girzai were beaten out of the shadow and did not dare to fight again.

Although among the many victories, not many Qi soldiers were captured and killed, and most of them were Indian servants, but through this piecemeal victory, the Afghans who lacked weapons and equipment seized a large number of firearms, which effectively supported their "jihadist operation" to resist the invasion of foreign enemies.

After the humiliating defeat, the coalition forces then launched a massive military retaliation, pushing more local tribes over the side of the Gildzai and launching a joint attack on the invaders.

However, to the astonishment of all the Gilzai who fled back, Kandahar was captured by the enemy!

After plundering again in Isfahan, he led his troops to quickly withdraw to Afghanistan.

But he never thought that the Qi army would not be relenting, and after successfully recovering Isfahan, they followed the direction of their escape and chased them all the way after without much rest.

Probably in order to eradicate the future troubles and eradicate the roots, the coalition forces launched a large-scale armed sweep of the Gilzai tribe in the mountains around Kandahar, trying to hunt down Ashraf and other leaders.

Although the defenders of Kerman City were forced to pay a sum of money, which was considered to save face, they lost their money and did not reap substantial benefits. Mahmoud was not willing to return to Kandahar like this, and decided to take a walk around the hinterland of the empire to try his luck and see if he could grab something to get back.

However, the situation in Kandahar Province remained tense, and the Persians had only regained their existing rule in the major towns and oases, and remained within the sphere of influence of the local tribes in the vast mountains and valleys.

"Are you sure you can meet your high-ranking officials in Kandahar?"

In one corner of the bazaar, there is a temple of the true gods, the dome of which of the spire glows golden in the sun. In front of the temple of the True God, devotees enter in a line, wearing white turbans and black robes, clasped their hands and praying devoutly.

A few days later, Nadir summoned Fu Kedong, who held the highest position and rank, and asked him to go to Kandahar with a visiting delegation as Nadir to help introduce high-ranking officials of Qi to discuss cooperation between the two sides.

"......" Fu Kedong twitched the corners of his mouth, with a wry smile on his face.

However, we Qi people did not have a little "careful thinking", and wanted the Persians to make a mistake in front of Nadir and suffer a big loss, and it was best to maintain a delicate balance between the two sides and let Persia be divided.

When Nadir's emissary, his brother Ibrahim Khan, arrived in Kandahar from Herat with a caravan of more than 400 kilometers, it took him a month and a half to overcome many obstacles and arrive safely in Kandahar on the evening of July 28.

However, this time, Kerman very unexpectedly chose to resist to the death, so that the Gilzai who were preparing to make a happy "zero dollar purchase" did not succeed.

But while he was waiting for the meal, he summoned an accompanying Qi officer to reconfirm whether he could meet a high-ranking Qi official who could take the lead a little in Kandahar City.

Around the city, there is a vast expanse of low shrubland, where herds of cattle and sheep graze leisurely, and shepherds with long whips drive their cattle near the edge.

Now, Nadir has shown great strength on the battlefield, proving that he is capable of fighting against the Safavid dynasty and breaking his wrists.

If there is no objection, then this group of "hillbillies" from Kandahar will miraculously complete a change of empire, and the Afghans will become Persian for the first time.

The Gilzai people who were forced to be anxious thought of breaking their tails to survive, to be precise, they should be "abandoning the commander and protecting the pawn". Mahmoud's cousin, Ashraf, together with several high-ranking generals, led hundreds of henchmen to disperse Mahmoud's guards and take control of his tent during a night camp, and then resolutely cut off his head.

However, the nosy Qi people stood up at this time and clearly expressed their opposition to the Afghans stealing Persia, killing innocents indiscriminately, banning trade, and destroying civilization.

With the return of the victorious division of the Nadir army to Mashhad, Nadir warmly received them and the captured Qi officers, with a gentle attitude, reassuring them to stay in Khorasan for the time being, without worrying about their lives.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Ashraf continued to flee east with his men, passing through rugged mountains and crossing the boundless desert, and finally ran back to Afghanistan.

This enemy was the neighboring Kharat Khanate and the Qi people of India, and the other side, taking advantage of the lack of military strength in Kandahar, gathered more than 10,000 troops, crossed more than 200 kilometers of desert, and despicably destroyed their old nest before the Gilzai could flee back.

In the midsummer of 1721, Mahmoud, having tasted the sweetness, invaded the empire again and visited Kerman again in order to gather another handful of wool and cut leeks.

But in the mountainous terrain of complex terrain, the advantage of the coalition forces was lost, and in turn they were defeated by the elusive and brave warriors of the gilzai, and the losses were repeated.

But between countries, apart from interests and their own strategic needs, there is no selfless "spirit of internationalism"!

Moreover, our Qi country's strategic positioning is to consolidate and maintain its hegemony in the Indian Ocean Rim region, and under such circumstances, how can it be possible to support a strong competitor in the Indian Ocean?

When the Persians defeated Russia and seized the entire eastern part of the Caucasus, the Persians wanted to depose the vassal kingdoms in this area and bring them under the direct jurisdiction of the empire, pushing the borders of the empire to the line of the Terek River, forming a strategic suppression of Russia and the Ottomans.

In the plains, or in a battle between two armies in good form, the coalition forces with absolute firepower often defeat the Girzai who are outarmed and unorganized.

They asked for the Empire's "forgiveness" to excuse the Gilzai rebellion and allow them to return to Kandahar in peace. At that time, the Gilzai would promise to abolish their self-reliance and return to the rule of the Empire, never to rebel again.

The Qi people held a very high-profile celebration in Kandahar, announcing the return of Kandahar to the rule of the Safavid dynasty.

During the years-long guerrilla warfare in the mountains, relying on local tribes and complex and changeable mountainous terrain, the Gilzai frequently thwarted the coalition forces' clearance operations and created several campaigns that defeated the Qi army.

To put it bluntly, our Qi country doesn't want the Persians' power to expand too much, if this fuels the Persians' expansionist ambitions, makes them float, and turns around and fights with the Ottomans in the west, which one do you let the Qi people help?

There was also this Safavid expedition to Khorasanadir, although the Persians left us Qi people and wanted to complete the de facto territorial unification with their own strength.

It is already humiliating enough to be captured by the enemy on the battlefield, even if he can return safely in the end, he will inevitably be ridiculed and despised by his colleagues in the army, and his career in the army will also be greatly affected, so he has been depressed for this reason.

After staying at a larger hostel, Ibrahim Khan did not choose to take people out to enjoy a delicious meal, but instructed his attendants to buy some cooked food at the market, and after preparing to eat it in a hurry, he had to rest early to relieve the fatigue after a long journey.

It has to be said that the luck of the Gilzai is excellent, the Persians made all the mistakes they could make during the siege of the city for more than seven months, and in the end, they lost all their hole cards, and could only take the initiative to open the city gates, and the imperial Shah Sudan Hussein presented Mahmud with a feather ornament on his turban symbolizing royal power, and personally put it on the turban for the conqueror.

What's even better is that Nadir is so knowledgeable and interested, and he takes the initiative to come to our Qi country.

So, as a general captured by a defeated army, if he can get Nadir to reach a cooperation with our Qi country through some threading the needle, wouldn't he be able to save a few points of his reputation?

(End of chapter)