The Caravan Daughter

Traveling to the commercial city-state Argyros, Mahmut attempts to get permission from Rohmonov, one of the "Three Great Merchants" who rules the city, to conduct trade with the eastern part Rumeliana. However, Rohmonov denies Mahmut, as getting involved in politics goes against the merchant law. At the market, Mahmut and co. see Niki Al-Bahram, a young girl whose merchant father recently passed away and has inherited his trading license, being dismissed by her father's former workers and business partners. Mahmut and co. offer to help Niki, though he warns her of the dangers that his plans will incite and that she will be breaking the Argyros's merchant laws. Niki accepts Mahmut's offer and starts her new caravan by selling highly prized Türkiye jewels, though Mahmut and his group disguised themselves as women to hide from Rohmonov. Still wanting to start eastern trade relations, Mahmut has Niki set up a meeting with Wan Yixin, a native from the eastern country of Çinili and someone with close ties to the emperor. After Mahmut convinces Wan that a business transaction that will bring peace to Çinili, Wan agrees to order an enormous shipment of Venedik glass, which made Venedik purchase all the wheat from Tharros to use as box padding. As the wheat was meant to be provisions for Balt-Rhein's invasion campaign against Türkiye, Louis orders the naval fleet stationed at Phoiníkē to intercept the shipments. This resulted in a naval battle between Venedik and the empire, who lost the fight and are imprisoned. Mahmut is pleased that he was able to pit Venedik and Balt-Rhein against each other, earning Venedik as an ally for Türkiye and stalling Balt-Rhein's invasion plans against his homeland.