Incarnation in an Age of Destruction and Chaos

In the courtyard or the front hall of the palace, there was a horse, deep black, so dark that from afar one might think it had split the heavens due to its darkness.

Ali mounted the horse with ease and extended his hand to Ismail. The astonishing Ismail thought he would be pulling a cart or even riding a horse, but due to his young age, it was impossible for him to control the horse.

Moreover, the cart would take a long time, so he internally grumbled and held his father's hand. Ali pulled him and placed him in his lap.

There was no denying that Ismail felt embarrassed, as he was actually internally aged, yet now he was being carried by someone decades younger than him.

Ali shouted while tugging at the horse's reins, "Come on!" The horse took off at great speed, causing Ismail to feel terrified. He had ridden horses in his previous life, but he had never seen a horse this fast. The horse increased its speed every time Ali struck it with the whip.

If the horse's speed were measured, it might reach 80 kilometers, which was absurd in Ismail's eyes.

After traveling for half a day, Ismail saw walls on the horizon. These walls were the walls of Baghdad, towering perhaps 17 meters high, very tall and built of stone, clay, and gravel, with some algae growing on these walls.

Ismail gasped; he had only seen the ruins of this great wall in his previous life.

Ali said with a smile, "Tall walls, aren't they?"

Ismail, in a state of discovery, replied, "Yes."

Ali laughed and continued until they reached a giant wooden gate. It was a colossal gate, reaching a height of 30 feet, and passersby were sometimes stopped by the guards if they found their movements suspicious.

The chief of the gate guards was speaking with one of the guards, but upon seeing a man riding a horse and approaching at great speed, his face darkened, and he shouted, "Prepare the spears and swords!"

The guards, numbering eight, complied with the orders, raising some spears and swords.

The chief guard said in a majestic voice, "Prepare for engagement!"

Seeing this scene, the passersby panicked and fled. No one wanted to lose their life.

When Ismail saw this scene, his heart raced, and he said in a trembling voice, "Father, h..."

But Ali interrupted him, speaking reassuringly, "Don't worry." Then he lifted his head high and said in a voice so majestic and loud that Ismail felt a buzzing in his ears, "David, you foul old man, draw your sword against me!"

The expression of the chief guard changed, and he said, "Put your weapons away, he is a friend."

As Ali approached the gate, a smile was on his face. The chief guard stood in front of his horse, and Ali said, "Oh David, did you wash your eyes with horse urine that you don't recognize who I am?"

David's expression darkened further, and he said in an angry voice, "You big bull, have you been suckling from donkeys to have such a loud voice?"

The smile on Ali's face widened, and he replied, "I was joking with you, old man. Why are you so angry?"

David replied, "What brings you to Baghdad this time? Did the governor summon you?"

Ali replied nonchalantly, "No." But when he continued speaking, his face became majestic, "But I heard from a little bird something that will shake the foundations of the capital." His voice was low on the last word.

David's expression darkened, and he said, "Are you sure?"

Ali replied with a solemn expression, "Yes."

David said loudly, "Good, prepare my horse!"

Ali's smile widened upon seeing David's reaction.

Moments later, Ali and David were riding their horses through the city at tremendous speed, unconcerned.

Ismail smiled wryly, thinking to himself, "The privilege of being noble allows you to do as you please."

After a few minutes, both David and Ali stood before an inner wall. This wall was the boundary of the current governor of Baghdad's palace, the great Suleiman.

A guard stood in front of the gate of the wall, saying, "David, what is the reason for your visit?"

David signaled with his eyes to Ali.

The guard looked at Ali and said, "The Niburi?" There was some astonishment and narrowing of his eyes at Ismail.

Upon seeing the guard's reaction, a look of annoyance appeared on Ali's face, and he said in a more threatening than questioning tone, "What, do you have an objection to my coming?" He placed his hand around Ismail's small body.

Ismail flinched a little at this gesture, but he calmed down when he felt a strange sensation, perhaps warmth.

The guard stammered, "N-no... but I find your presence strange; you rarely come to the palace."

Ali's eyes sharpened, and he said in a majestic voice, "And what is it to you... are you the governor?"

The guard flinched and tried to justify himself, but David stopped him and then looked at Ali, saying, "Don't mind him... let's continue."

Ali reluctantly said, "Fine."

The guards cleared the way to the palace, and both Ali and David entered.

They were greeted by a scene of gardens adorned with roses and some citrus trees. Despite the simplicity, the scene was beautiful to the eye.

As they walked, two young boys approached and took the reins of the horses, indicating they should continue on foot.

Ali dismounted the horse gracefully and extended his arms to Ismail, saying, "Jump!"

Ismail raised an eyebrow; he did not understand what his father meant. Ismail's behavior was strange to Ali as well, so he tilted his head and said, "Don't you hear?"

Ismail complied and jumped; he was caught in Ali's large arms. Ali lifted him slightly and asked, "Are you feeling nervous because you will meet the governor for the first time?"

Ismail flinched; he hadn't expected to meet the governor. He thought he would be taking a trip in Baghdad while his father met with the governor.

He wanted to speak, but David interrupted, saying loudly, "Ali, let's hurry." The other party's voice was a bit tense.

After several steps, Ismail stood next to his father in a large hall decorated in the Kufic style, while David consulted an elderly man in his fifties in a low voice.

There was a look of astonishment on the old man's face, and his astonishment deepened with each word David spoke.

After a few moments, David bowed and left, as this information was not something he could fully access given his status.

The old man, whose skin was wheat-colored and beard was black with gray, had slightly sunken eyes. He gazed intently at Ali before turning his gaze to the child beside Ali. His eyebrow lifted slightly, and he nodded his head.

He said in a rough voice with some astonishment, "Is your information certain, Niburi?" He had used the family name, acknowledging Ali.

Ali replied in a heavy voice, "Yes."

The old man's eyebrow rose in further astonishment, "What is the nature of the information that will shake the foundations of the capital?"

A smile appeared on Ali's face as he said, "Your Excellency, you know what my family's tradition is."

A smile appeared on the old man's face, and he said in a slightly unkind tone, "How much do you want?"

The smile on Ali's face widened, and he replied, "100,000 lira."

The old man's expression fell, and his eyes widened slightly, as he said in a muffled voice regarding the astronomical figure, "That's an enormous amount; don't you think it's excessive, Niburi?"

Ali replied with an indifferent expression, "For the capital, it's worth a million lira."

The old man sighed; from past dealings, he knew that Ali would not back down, so he said in a slightly frustrated tone, "Fine... I, Suleiman Pasha the Great, declare in my name that if your information is indeed dangerous to the capital, I will give you a hundred thousand lira."

The smile on Ali's face grew as he recounted what Ismail had told him on the journey.

Upon hearing Ali, Suleiman Pasha's eyes widened to the point that his sunken eyes seemed like they might pop out of their sockets.

Suleiman Pasha said in frustration while wiping his face with his right hand, "After all the previous humiliation, will that hag do this vile act?"

Then he raised his head and said with a questioning expression, "I know your information; you must be telling the truth, but how did you find out about this?" Suleiman Pasha narrowed his eyes in his last words.

Ali shrugged his shoulders and said, "A little bird came to me while I was eating and told me what I told you."

A sarcastic smile appeared on Suleiman Pasha's face upon hearing Ali, and he said while looking at Ismail with a scrutinizing gaze, "And what brings your boy here to the confines of my palace?"

Ismail flinched a little; although he had met the Prime Minister once in his previous life, compared to a cunning man like Suleiman Pasha, who earned the title "the Great" not for nothing, it was more daunting.

Ismail stepped forward and said, embarrassed due to his current situation, "I want money too."

Ali turned directly when he heard Ismail's words, looking astonished, and said in a low voice, "You took 3,000 lira in the morning."

Ismail looked with dark eyes and said in frustration, "Didn't you just get 100,000 lira a moment ago?"

Suleiman Pasha looked at Ismail with narrowed eyes and said in a frustrated tone, "Are you trying to rob me, boy? Didn't your father receive the 100,000? Why don't you ask him for money?"

Ismail said in a frustrated voice, fiddling with the ground, "He's stingy."

Upon hearing Ismail's response, Suleiman Pasha burst into hysterical laughter, as if he felt compensated after paying 100,000. Then he looked at Ismail and said, "But you are a Niburi, so I expect something from you in return for the money."

Ismail asked in a childlike voice, "Can I come closer?"