Before the trip to Mergen, the head of the guild came in and said that he was restless on the trade routes, so, just to be safe, just in case, let him come to Sardor for horses. And after the trip, do not forget to thank! "Now we have a new roof, so there seems to be no problem ... Nevertheless, you should use the trading trick" 9 "guild on the way back," - said Zafar.
In troubled times, the roads always became dangerous for travelers, especially if they were merchants. Although, of course, merchants merchants strife.
Mergen Zafar was one of those merchants. He was over fifty years old. Squat, with a beautiful face, an aquiline nose, which gave him a resident of the mountains, pitch black hair and shining eyes. His gaze was full of courage, and at the same time with some sort of cunning thing. He was wearing a double sturdy robe from Kabul, good skin boots from Petersburg itself, a muslin from Agra, and a skullcap from Samarkand. Below him was a fast-footed Akhalteke, with a Damascus steel knife with a rare, carved Chust handle. He carried dried fruit, berry marshmallow, amber sugar, and fox skins in baggage bags. Behind him, followed by a small caravan of five Karabairs, who brought to the market carpets of local craftswomen, and nuts from the mountains.
He came from a kind of warriors, in the steppe he was known and respected. The ancestors of Mergen Zafar came a few centuries ago from the great mountains of Altai. Long wandered in different places, until finally settled in a fertile valley between the steppe and high mountains.
In order to sell the goods more profitably, the merchant decided to lead his caravan not to the familiar local market, but to the capital. There it would be possible to gain three times more, and buy a new product, which can be profitably sold already in the local market. Navar would be nice. With him followed only two assistants, distant relatives from the mountains, of which he taught the trade business.
The caravan slowly moved along the paths known only to a few merchants and bandits, which lay aside from customs posts and zealous guards. The road ran between two mountains, it allowed travelers to cut off the way to the capital's bazaar and save time. However, with all the obvious advantages, these mountains concealed their disadvantages. Namely, this mountain pass was controlled by a group of robbers. Therefore, these mountains were called none other than the "Mountains of the Robbers". However, Mergen was confident in his strength and cunning!
The journey of the small caravan was surprisingly successful, - on the way to the capital they did not meet a single robber. Bargaining was quite successful. Mergen and his assistants spent the night at the metropolitan relatives, who kept their artisan workshops and malls near the main city square.
The next day, leaving the horses and purchased a new product, Mergen and his relatives went to the market in the meat line, then jumped into the ranks of oriental sweets. I bought gifts for households: different kinds of halvah, canalodas (caramel), toffee, strange nuts from India itself, spices from Persia.
Before leaving, Mergen, having sent out his relatives, began to drown the fat-tailed fat, in the mountains it was considered the most delicious and, at the same time, the surest folk remedy for all ailments. Towards morning the merchant prepared six not very large and not very small jugs with a small one.
Joyfully saying goodbye to their relatives, Mergen Zafar and his small caravan went back home. In baggage bags there was a commodity from the capital, as well as hotels - baked fat-tailed fat, a useful and practical gift.
On the way back, luck seemed to have left the merchants. In the secret mountain passage was an ambush! The assistants were frightened that these were the guards, but Mergen reassured them: "this can not be! Since the district is under the control of one of the important capital nobles, the khan servicemen would never have dared to go against SUCH MAN!"
The leader of the robbers slowly approached Mergen, greeted the merchant, inquired about the weather and the latest news from the capital, learned the course of the silver shadow, at the last auction. Then he offered to drive along with them, drink tea and talk about life ...
Sitting on a beautiful carpet, laid out with a no less wonderful silk handkerchief, the leader slowly sipped green Chinese tea and glanced at Mergen, who was sitting a little way off, who also drank himself tea. Scaredly, the assistants huddled their horses away, surrounded by hundreds of brave young men on hot horses with all their ammunition.
The conversation turned to who the roof of the merchant is, what guild he is in, who is and what is his name. The robber was with the concepts, he knew that just so you should not run up. In the east, though judged by clothes, but do not forget at the same time inquire about the roof. And then who knows what might happen next ...
Finding out what was happening, having checked the goods, the leader of the robbers took his bribe, tied a handkerchief to the bridle of Mergen, shook his hand and said goodbye.
A small caravan, rushed unhurriedly trot away. His right hand drove up to the leader, and asked why the merchants were released? After all, it would be possible to take away their horses. And they also gave tamga ?!
The leader, replied to his assistant, with a question for a question, did you see on his horse the sign of the guild of long knives and shield? Not?! Nobody gets in touch with them once again, the roof is very good, and ours said that we shouldn't get into trouble. In addition, the merchant had nothing to take, the goods were not particularly good, they didn't see fat, and the horses were tagged, no one would buy them, but they could stick out. Why problems out of the blue ...
They were stopped three more times, but, seeing a handkerchief, they silently let them go, without requiring a bribe.
The caravan of Mergen arrived at his town without incident.
Zafar left the goods in the guild, taking the horse by the bridle, he went to Sardor. Thanking for the horses, Mergen presented a present in the form of two not very large and not very small jugs with baked lard. To which the landlord smiled favorably and praised the merchant for his zeal and such a wonderful gift. Said he can continue to count on his patronage. After which Mergen left. Sardor's young nephew was surprised at how kind his uncle was, that he was content with just two jugs of baked fat ...
Meanwhile, in the guild, devoted to the trick "9", hastily, behind closed doors were engaged in kindling of bacon. As all curious merchants were told, Mergen decided to have a little feast in honor of successfully getting rid of the robbers! So it is accepted in the east ...
The head was pleased, Mergen brought back from the head center of the guild the much-needed til (gold coins) to solve important trade deals in the north.
The sweets were cheered by the household!