Middle Eastern tyrants

Chapter 210 Punishment
Yagubu Ben Yehe tidied his appearance in front of the mirror.

Today he was impeccably dressed, with a deep purple sash symbolizing his church identity draped over his shoulders, a black headscarf tied around his head, and a dignified white robe flowing naturally over his body, with a ceremonial dagger at his waist.

"I am leaving."

Yagubu bid farewell to the Imam of the Alsafa Mosque, his destination being the Kasher Estate in the Nasiriyeh district.

The entire journey is over ten kilometers long, but to show his piety, Yakubu chose to walk without any means of transportation.

He walked from dawn until noon, and the view gradually changed from bustling streets to rows of palaces and gardens.

When he arrived near the Kasher estate, he was immediately stopped by heavily armed guards. The leading soldier, seeing that he was dressed as a religious person, took him to a room.

“The Marshal’s residence is ahead,” the guard asked him. “Explain your purpose.”

Yakub produced a document bearing the dual seals of the Church and the Royal Family, and solemnly explained the purpose of his visit:
“My name is Yakub ibn Yekh, Imam of the Holy Land. By order of the Supreme Church and the Royal Family, I shall, from this day forward, serve as the recorder of 'Jiblil's' words and deeds.”

The soldiers first searched Yagubu.
Fahd then checked his documents, compared them with the entry and exit records, scrutinized Yagub from head to toe, and finally nodded.

"I'll take you in."

Upon entering the manor, Yagubu recalled the instructions given to him by the Great Imam of Taymiyeh: "The words of our angel often contain profound meaning, which you need to ponder and understand yourself. But you must remember that whatever He says is always correct."

Yakub regarded this job as a glory bestowed by God, and with a heart full of trepidation, he walked toward the exquisite and elegant main building.

Along the way, they passed through a verdant corridor meticulously maintained by servants and around an exquisite fountain garden.

White stone pillars supported the arch, and Fahd opened the door for him.

The two entered the spacious living room and then saw Lu Lin sitting on the sofa, comforting his mother.

"Everyone is watching us now, which is why we have to be firm in our stance towards the Beni tribe. However, once we're in the army, I'll arrange for my uncles and brothers to stay with me; that will at least ensure our safety."

Is this the Lord's angel?
In Yagubu's view, the man in front of him did not have any dazzling features, but he did have an extraordinary and unique demeanor.

Lu Lin raised his head, stopped talking, and looked at the stranger in front of him.

Yagub first felt an invisible pressure, then he bowed with impeccable manners and stated his purpose: "Respected 'Mailaik'."

Maraiq is the name for an angel in Islam, meaning "the wondrous body created by God with light".

After learning about Yaqub's duties, Sultan, who was standing next to him, smiled and said, "Think of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). When he was alive, more than fifty of his companions faithfully accompanied him, recording his words and deeds, and even the things he tacitly approved. This is how the Hadith we follow in later generations came about."

And this is precisely what troubles Lu Lin the most.

After he was conferred the title of angel, everything around him underwent subtle changes. Everyone watched his words and actions closely, and they were full of expectations for his speech and behavior.

Some servants even started collecting his hair or his clipped nails.

Even his close relatives maintained a deliberate distance from him. Sultan was a little better off, but Musta was clearly conflicted about her son. She regarded him as her pride, but at the same time, she had to obey God's arrangements.

Even Sheila stopped competing with him for food.

But Lu Lin also knew that he was not a truly omniscient and omnipotent perfect person, nor could he guarantee that every word he said was flawless.

He thought that there might be some people with ulterior motives, just like the trolls that appeared on the internet and in society decades later. These people love to refute other people's views by taking things out of context and thinking they know best. Who knows what they might say unintentionally that will be taken out and misinterpreted by them, and then criticized in various ways.

Lu Lin said helplessly, "If I had known it would be like this, I would have preferred to just accept the rank of general."

Yakub picked up his notebook and began scribbling: "Meraik once said that although I am an angel of the Lord, I am no different in essence from other believers."

Musta said with some concern, "Although the Beni tribe is my family, I hope this won't affect you. Even if it requires some sacrifices, it's not a big deal."

Lu Lin patted his mother's hand: "Don't worry, I'm the one in charge in the army. Now, who dares to say 'no' to me?"

Yagubu hesitated for a moment, then wrote: "What my mother worries about is what I worry about."

Lu Lin looked at him sharply and asked, "What are you writing?"

Yagubu remained expressionless and replied, "It's nothing."

Just then, Fahd knocked on the door again and came in, saying to Lu Lin, "Your Excellency Marshal, General Nayef requests an audience."

What about Yves?
"Please invite him to the study."

Lu Lin stood up, nodded to his mother and brother, and Yagubu naturally followed behind him.

A moment later, General Naif entered the study and said to Lu Lin directly, "Your Excellency Marshal, I know my abilities are limited, and I hope to be transferred to another department."

Prior to this, Naif served as the Chief of Staff of the Shuangzhi General Command, whose main responsibilities included planning the overall operational layout and analyzing enemy movements.

However, due to the relationship between Muhammad and his son, Naif was unable to get involved in the army, and Lu Lin, who was fighting on the front lines, would not take his advice.

Of course, Nayef himself was also limited in ability, and many of his tactics were later proven to be wrong. So during the Levant campaign, he turned a blind eye to almost everything and just gave up.

His current position is mostly due to his seniority and the family background behind him.

Lu Lin crossed his arms: "General, with your current rank, even a lateral transfer would be quite difficult."

Naif said seriously, "I believe this is not difficult for the Marshal, and you must have other candidates for Chief of the General Staff in mind. It would be a bit of an eyesore for me to stay in this position."

"Where do you want to go?"

General Naif thought for a moment and said, "The Air Force or the Strategic Missile Force, I have some experience with those."

"hehe."

As the Minister of National Defense, Lu Lin commands the six armed forces. He certainly has the ability to appoint and dismiss personnel in the national armed forces, and even to appoint commanders of the entire army.

Seeing that Lu Lin did not give a direct answer, General Naif took a deep breath: "I understand the rules. The Suleiman family will provide financial assistance."

Lu Lin changed his posture: "How much can you offer?"

"We can talk as long as you're willing to speak."

Yagubu's hands were trembling as he wrote; how could he possibly record this?
Does this mean I'll lose my head on my very first day in office?
Lu Lin asked seriously, "How about an armored division?" "You're joking. In the entire Shuangzhi, apart from the royal family, no one can afford that price."

"Those twenty F-4s?"

"At most two armored battalions, fully staffed," General Naif said solemnly. "That's a full sixty M60A1 tanks, plus I'm already an army general."

Looking at the other person's rigid face, Lu Lin found it somewhat laughable.

These gentlemen, who resemble the Prossenjunker aristocracy, are still using outdated ways of thinking.

In their view, Shuangzhi was a tribal federation, and the royal family was just one of the larger families.

I spent money to build the army for you, so I should rightfully lead this army, even if it's just under the guise of the state.

Needless to say, even three years ago, this would have been considered normal practice.

But now, they have crossed the line for Lu Lin and King Muhammad.

Did the royal family's domestic purge go unpunished?

Are you all pretending you didn't see anything?
Lu Lin said, "Do you know what my biggest problem is?"

General Naif: "I would like to hear the details."

"inability."

Nayef was speechless upon hearing this.

"Don't tell me about 'having self-awareness' or 'delegating authority'."

Lu Lin was no longer willing to indulge his bad habits, and his eyes turned icy cold: "In your position, incompetence is the biggest mistake!"

General Naif's face turned pale and then red with anger at these words. He retorted, "Your Highness, I have over forty years of military service and have served as the chief of military staff to two kings. Even if I haven't made any great contributions, I have certainly put in a lot of hard work. How can you slander me like this?!"

"Am I wrong?"

Lu Lin fiddled with the ornaments on the table: "From the attack on Canam during the Yom Kippur War to this attack on the Galilee Plains, our supplies and rear have been in constant trouble! And this is all your dereliction of duty! The losses you caused far exceed those of two armored battalions! In my opinion, this is the compensation you should pay!"

General Naif, his face flushed, retorted, "Your Highness! You cannot place all the blame on me alone! The chaos of war, the logistical difficulties, these are all..."

Lu Lin sneered: "If you really are as you say, why don't you go to His Majesty to explain your hard work, instead of coming to me with your so-called 'sincerity'?"

General Naif said coldly, "Is Your Excellency the Marshal trying to force me to resign?"

"Resign?" Lu Lin leaned forward, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's as he locked onto Nayef. "You think you can use a resignation to escape the responsibilities and scrutiny you should bear? To let yourself and your family get away with it? Dream on!"

Lu Lin's voice was not loud, but it carried a chill: "Nayef, I am now formally informing you, in my capacity as Minister of National Defense, that you have been relieved of all your posts as Chief of the General Staff! You will be subject to a full investigation by the Military Commission, the scope of which includes, but is not limited to, the approval of all logistical supply contracts and the procedures for personnel appointments and removals during your tenure!"

Nayef's face turned deathly pale instantly.

"Secondly," Lu Lin pressed, "you and the Suleiman family must pay the price for your dereliction of duty. Since you've offered to fund the army, seize this opportunity. Remember, this is a voluntary donation, a compensation for the country's losses."

"This...this is extortion!" Naif pointed at Lu Lin with trembling hands. "I demand to see His Majesty! I demand..."

"Yes, I did extort money!" Lu Lin's eyes were fierce. "What, you're not convinced?"

Yagub's pen hovered over the paper for a long time before finally writing: "Mailaik should be punished according to the law as a warning to others."

Nayef's expression was uncertain, but in the end he gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I promise you."

He turned to leave, but Lu Lin called out to him, "Wait."

Nayef stood frozen in place.

“From the moment you walked in until now,” Lu Lin leaned back lazily in his chair, “you haven’t even bowed.”

Naif slowly turned around and bowed deeply: "Honorable Malaiq, may the peace and mercy of God always be with you."

Lu Lin nodded: "Now you can get lost."

Nayef's face twitched, and he quickly left the study.

After the study door closed, Fahad quietly stepped forward: "Marshal, are we just going to let him go like this?"

Lu Lin said dismissively, "The Suleiman family has controlled the oil sector for thirty years. The recent purge has cut off many of their tentacles. Now they are eager to convert the wealth they have plundered into real power. That's how these old families are. If you give them a proper warning, they will keep spitting out gold coins."

Although Fahd didn't understand what "exploding gold coins" meant, he understood the meaning behind Lu Lin's words and then laughed, "So, two armored battalions are still too few?"

“You underestimate the resources of these families.” Lu Lin toyed with the pen in his hand: “They have a lot of obstacles ahead of them. They like to buy peace with money, right? Let them buy as much as they want.”

As Yagubu listened to this conversation, his pen hesitated on the paper.

"Now the funding for the Army Aviation Corps is secured."

Lu Lin shook his head: "No, let's forget about this money. I'll have it all sent to the National Development Fund."

He stood up and looked out the window, his voice firm: "This money was originally the hard-earned money of the people, so it should be returned to where it came from."

"Power is not a tool for personal enrichment, but a sword to safeguard order."

Upon hearing this, Yagubu, who was standing to the side, paused slightly with his pen before writing down the sentence word for word.

After Lu Lin finished speaking, he looked at Yagubu and narrowed his eyes: "You remembered everything I just said?"

Yagub then quickly wrote: "Meraik asked me if I had written down everything he had just said."

"show me!"

"I'm sorry to have to obey."

(End of this chapter)