Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology

"I have to say, Your Excellency, the use of homeless orphans as intelligence agents was a very clever plan. Although these kids are not professionals, they are the most widely present everywhere, and they are the most ignored group of people. Your strategy of using these little kids went under the radar of all the noble families of the Safavid Empire and even the Atashban family."

"If it wasn't for the fact that the Bharatiya Empire previously used some unfortunate kids in some operations to gather intelligence, your intelligence channels would have completely been overlooked."

"Also, I have to praise your foresight. If it wasn't for our training, the Atashban family would not have formed the intelligence channel so quickly. But even before the Atashban family had an intelligence network, your tribe already had one fully operational throughout the northwestern part of the empire. It's very impressive if I say so myself."

Jaishankar said as he looked genuinely impressed. But the person who was truly impressed was Balwan Pannu, who had informed the minister of this news.

Ezidi Serwan was a little taken aback by the disclosure of his tribe's intelligence network.

Barzan, who had stood silently without uttering a word until now, suddenly became agitated. His face wrinkled like a dried-up riverbed, and he was about to confront the Bharatiyas.

But Ezidi Serwan stopped him. Serwan had a frown on his face, not because his tribe's intelligence network had been discovered. No! What Jaishankar revealed was not something new. Serwan already knew that his tribe's intelligence network had been figured out by the Bharatiya Empire the moment they contacted him through the intelligence network. He was not paying attention to that matter anymore. The reason for his unhappiness was that Jaishankar wouldn't get to the main point and kept going around the circles talking about everything else.

Although he found many things, like the similarities in the way they do their rituals and in both cultures' prominence for the sun and the peacock fascinating, he was in a very difficult position to enjoy these things.

"Thank you for your praise, Your Excellency the Minister. I am truly flattered that you think highly of our intelligence network, but could you please explain the reason why the Bharatiya Empire contacted my tribe?" He asked with a stern expression on his face.

Jaishankar did not feel offended. Instead, he was very happy in his heart since he finally got the initiative on his side.

"Well, Your Excellency Serwan, it is like this: the Bharatiya Empire does not want its neighbours to be battle-hungry maniacs who would stop at nothing to spread their doctrine and ideology."

"So it is the unanimous decision of the leaders of our empire for the Islam-dominated Safavid Empire to revert back to its roots as the ancient Persian Empire."

"We have been working on this mission for almost a year, and now we have reached a very critical stage of this plan."

"We have supported the Zoroastrian Atashban family in conquering their region as well as taking over the main strategic stronghold of Baghdad."

"And in this operation, we discovered the traces of another ancient ethnic group," Jaishankar said, looking at Serwan meaningfully.

"And that is your Yazidi ethnic group."

"One of the ways our Bharatiya Empire is looking to overturn the current Islam-dominated Safavid Empire is by supporting its ancient indigenous cultures and practices which still exist."

"We were under the impression that only the Zoroastrian culture barely survived after the massacres that took place over the centuries, but unexpectedly we found your people."

"So, Your Excellency Serwan, according to our plan, we are willing to provide you with military material and equipment support."

"With that being said," Jaishankar intently stared at Serwan, "are you willing to take this opportunity to trail a blazing path for your people and make your voice heard once again in the Middle East after nearly a millennia?"

Serwan's fists were tightly clenched, and his heart was pounding like a turbocharged V12.

This was the olive branch he was looking for, but his last rationale told him that if something is too good to be true, then it probably is.

"What does the Yazidi people have to pay?" he asked in a hoarse voice. He had already given up hiding his expression, not only because he could not hold down his excitement due to the Bharatiya Empire taking the initiative to mention the matter itself but also because his companions were already showing fervent desire in their eyes as well as extreme eagerness.

Jaishankar was very happy with that reaction. "Well, there are some conditions."

"One: the military of the Yazidi people will be under the control of the Bharatiya Empire until the Safavid Empire completely disappears."

"Two: after the establishment of the Yazidi nation and the Parsi nation, the Bharatiya Empire has the right to station its troops in the land of the Yazidi nation."

"Three: expansion of your territory will be subject to the opinion of the Bharatiya Empire."

"Four: and the final condition, the Bharatiya Empire, the Yazidi nation, and the Parsi nation will sign a peace treaty agreeing not to attack each other."

Jaishankar stopped as he waited for a response from Serwan.

Ezidi Serwan immediately frowned as he could tell that most of the conditions were too harsh, but he did not hesitate for long because he realized that, with the disparity in strength between both parties, it was impossible for him to expect anything else. In the current situation, where even being alive is a luxury, having their own nation, despite it being fully controlled by another country, is still a godsend.

"We can agree to this matter, but how long does this treaty of ours last for?"

Jaishankar was relieved. "Well, the Bharatiya Empire follows the rule of law, so all the above-mentioned conditions, except for the stationing of the military, which will be permanent, are only for the next 10 years. After that, we can negotiate once again to reach terms favorable to both parties," he said, but then he remembered something. "By the way, all the benefits we promised can only be provided on the condition that you are capable of building your own nation."

"The Bharatiya Empire will be providing you with military supplies and training necessary to make your army an elite force among the armies in the Persian region, but it will be your task to win your battles. The Bharatiya Empire, constrained by geography, can only help you in certain situations."

Ezidi Serwan thought about it for a while and felt like the conditions were fair enough. "Alright, we can do it."

Jaishankar was very happy.

"Happy cooperation," he said with a namaskara.

"Happy cooperation," Ezidi Serwan responded with a namaskara of his own.

The negotiation, which took over an hour, ended happily.

Ezidi Serwan was about to take his leave along with his men, but surprisingly, Jaishankar stopped him.

"Please wait!"

Ezidi Serwan looked back with a curious expression on his face.

"In the coming month, the Bharatiya Empire has an operation that is designed to fully weed out the Zangana family."

"So, as the first greeting for our long-term cooperation, the Bharatiya Empire will send you a few thousand firearms along with small-calibre cannons."

"I cannot explain to you our plan, but your task is simple. Once the armed forces in Mosul leave, which will be taken care of by us, it will be your chance to act, since the core members of the Zangana family will be left defenceless."

"And most importantly, they do not know that you people exist."

"If we have to take action, it is easy to get caught because Mosul is a bit too far inland from where we can reach. Large-scale troop movements will definitely attract attention, but you are different. You are already entrenched in this region."

Hearing this, Ezidi Serwan's eyes immediately lit up and his fists were clenched, and the same went for his companions.

They realized almost immediately that the chance for their revenge was here.

Ezidi Serwan immediately felt thankful for his decision, and thinking about all the suffering his people had gone through, he felt a little emotional. He could no longer put on the tough front.

"Thank you very much," he said, his voice a little choked.

Jaishankar, who had always considered Ezidi Serwan as an adult whose carefulness was not less than his during the negotiations, was immediately surprised by the vulnerability he showed. He immediately felt a little pity for the man who had to bear the weight of his whole culture being decimated.

He realized that if his majesty had to face the pressure of a boulder on his back, then Ezidi Serwan had to bear the weight of a whole mountain on his back. Jaishankar looked at Ezidi Serwan with a little admiration, even though he had tears threatening to drop from his eyes.

Surprisingly, he was not the only one feeling this way, as Captain Balwan Pannu felt the same way, along with the soldiers who had accompanied Minister Jaishankar.

"Serwan, His Majesty Vijay sends his regards to you, wishing you all the best. Oh, and His Majesty knew the atrocities that were committed against your people, so he forwarded this message to you."

Ezidi Serwan looked ahead, his eyes still a little red.

"Give them hell!" Jaishankar said as he clenched his fist in front of him.

This gesture immediately filled Serwan, Barzan, and Tawfan with great encouragement, knowing that there was someone in this world who hadn't forgotten about them, the unlucky bunch who were almost extinct.

Ezidi Serwan finally smiled. "We will," he said, but the smile on his face did not look like someone who was happy. Instead, it looked like the smile of a demon of wrath about to unleash its fury.

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